Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP from West Bengal, Pradip Bhattacharya wrote a letter to NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, expressing his concern over both the heavyweight leaders possibly campaigning for Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress for the upcoming West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections. Bhattacharya, a 2nd term Rajya Sabha MP representing West Bengal, speculates in his letter that the presence of “Star Campaigners” like Sharad Pawar and Tejashwi Yadav will “create confusion among West Bengal voters”.
Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya writes to NCP’s Sharad Pawar & RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav over campaigning with Trinamool Congress, for #WestBengalElections2021
“Your presence as Star Campaigners will create confusion among West Bengal voters. Avoid campaigning for TMC,” he said
In his letter, Mr. Bhattacharya explicitly requests both Sharad Pawar and Tejashwi Yadav to not campaign on behalf of Mamata Banerjee’s TMC. In the run up to these elections, multiple Congress allies, whether at the Central level or in state governments, have distanced themselves from Congress, choosing to support the Trinamool Congress instead. The foremost reasoning of Congress’s multiple allies seems to stem from the fact that Mamata’s TMC, which is presently governing West Bengal, is the strongest bulwark against the so-called “communal forces” of the BJP.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), an ally of the Congress in Bihar’s Mahagathbandhan and Jharkhand’s UPA government, has already backed TMC earlier this month. After meeting Mamata Banerjee, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav at the time said, “This is a battle for values. Laluji ka nirnay hai Mamataji ko full support karna hai (Laluji has decided that we should fully support Mamata ji). We will stand by her wherever we can. This is a larger fight to stop communal forces from dividing our nation.” Mr. Yadav further went on to add, ““Bengal has a lot of Hindi-speaking people from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. I would appeal to everyone to back Mamata Didi with all our strength to ensure her win. We support her in her fight for Bengal’s language, culture, literature.”
The 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections are scheduled to be held between 27 March to 29 April 2021 in 8 phases. These elections are a three-way political battle between the coalitions of the Trinamool Congress along with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, the NDA with BJP at its helm along with five hill based Gorkha parties and All Jharkhand Students Union, and the Sanyukta Morcha with the Congress party at its helm along with its once arch-rival Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Islamist Abbas Siddiqui’s Indian Secular Front (ISF).
According to reports from Myanmar, the Myanmar military regime has seized the bank accounts of George Soros’s Open Society Foundation (OSF) in the country. The military regime in Myanmar accuses OSF Myanmar of violating multiple financial restrictions on the activities of organizations like OSF.
The Military regime on Monday announced the arrest warrants for 11 staff members of OSF Myanmar through Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV). These arrest warrants include the top management of the foundation, with reports revealing the Finance Manager of OSF Myanmar already in detention and going through interrogation since at least Friday.
The Myanmar military junta accuses OSF Myanmar of multiple financial improprieties. The most prominent accusation is a failure to obtain approval from the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM)’s Foreign Exchange Management Department for depositing US$5 million (7.04 billion kyats) with the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank (SMED) in Myanmar in 2018. OSF Myanmar is also accused of illegally withdrawing $1.4 million from its account at SMED a week after the military junta takeover in Myanmar at the beginning of February. The Military has also seized OSF banks accounts in the private banks of Myanmar, collectively amounting to the tune of $3.81 million.
OSF is accused of providing financial support to civil disobedience movements against the military rule.
Military regime accuses Aung San Suu Kyi of meeting George Soros
On March 12th, the Central Bank of Myanmar notified all international and domestic NGOs that all financial transactions since April 1st 2016 involving international organizations or individuals from abroad are to be reported to the CBM. This is seen as a move to investigate the finances of organizations like the OSF since the civilian government of the National League for Democracy (NLD), the political party of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, rose to power in early 2016. The Military junta also accuses Aung San Suu Kyi of meeting with George Soros four times between 2014 to 2017 and OSF deputy chair Alexander Soros six times from 2017 to 2020 in her capacity as State Counsellor of Myanmar (equivalent to Prime Minister).
The Union Solidarity and Development Party, a Myanmar political party known for its close ties with the military, have accused the Open Society Foundations of attempting to manipulate Myanmar’s politics through its activities in the country. In 2017, a Myanmar lawmaker objected to a ministerial appointment by the NLD government, citing the appointee’s failure to disclose his previous work for George Soros.
OSF responds, calls for the immediate release of staffers
The Open Society Foundations responded to the Myanmar military junta on Tuesday, calling for the immediate release of the OSF staff member currently detained by the junta. “The Open Society Foundations are deeply concerned about reports that an OSM (Open Society Myanmar) staff member has been detained in Myanmar. We call for her immediate release. We are alarmed by reports that authorities are seeking to interrogate other staff members,” Open Society Foundations said in an emailed statement to Reuters.
The OSF has also rubbished the Military junta’s allegations of financial impropriety on the part of OSF Myanmar. “Claims of financial misconduct, including that OSM acted illegally by withdrawing their own funds in local currency from the SMID bank, are false. Claims that OSM used these funds for illegal purposes are false. These funds were used for purposes fully within the objectives of OSM.” the Open Society Foundations told Reuters.
The Myanmar Army is in control of Myanmar after staging a coup in the early morning hours of 1st February 2021. According to reports, the Myanmar military’s intervention came after weeks of continued friction between the country’s military, which ruled the country for over five decades, and the civilian government over allegations of irregularities in the 2020 Myanmar General Elections.
The Trinamool Congress Party has long been accused of harbouring perennial hatred for Hindus and Hinduism. Be it Mamata Banerjee’s objections to the Jai Shri Rama slogans or the state government’s imposition of restrictions on the Hindu festivals, the TMC, has time and again, manifested their contempt for Hindus in the state. Recently, this disdain for Hindus, Lord Rama and Hinduism was writ large when TMC MP Mahua Moitra attempted to take a swipe at UP Yogi Adityanath after he addressed a rally in Bengal’s Purulia.
Ahead of the upcoming polls in West Bengal, UP CM Yogi Adityanath was in the state as a star campaigner for the BJP. Yogi, in his characteristic demeanour, promised to establish a UP-like culture in West Bengal, should the BJP gets elected in the state. He added that the culture of violence that has been endemic to the TMC rule will be over, and all the goons patronised by the party will be punished.
Yogi’s assertions evidently grated on the TMC MP’s nerves and she was quick to issue a riposte. Perhaps, Yogi’s remarks on the culture of violence fostered in West Bengal under the TMC regime had set Moitra’s teeth on edge. However, in a bid to run Yogi down, Moitra ended up insulting Hindus and their culture.
In a tweet shortly after Yogi’s rally, Moitra tweeted that his “thok do culture” from his “vanar sena commune” wouldn’t work in West Bengal. “So Yogi CM comes to WB today, says he will kill “TMC goondas” one by one, Gudduji – listen up – your thok do culture may work in the vanar sena commune you ruled, doesn’t work here,” Moitra tweeted.
Source: Twitter
With her tweet, Moitra insulted the vanar sena or the army of monkeys that accompanied Lord Rama and his brother Lakshman on their way to Lanka and which also played a pivotal role in defeating Ravan’s humongous army. Not only did Moitra insult the vanar sena, but also the sentiments of Hindus who venerate the army of monkeys for assisting Lord Rama in the pursuit to find his abducted wife. Hindus hold the army of monkeys in high regard, especially for their leader Lord Hanuman, who is revered as Lord Rama’s supreme devotee and is also worshipped as a god.
While pious Hindus living in Uttar Pradesh and Yogi Adityanath would not be bothered by Moitra’s reference to the state as a vanar sena commune, considering that the army of monkeys was incredibly disciplined, manifestly courageous, and fought from the side of dharma. However, it is not lost on the Hindus that the comment by Moitra was made in a pejorative sense. It once again brought to fore the disdain and the contempt that TMC harbours for Hindus and their dearly-held beliefs.
TMC’s disdain for Hindus, Lord Rama and Hindu festivals
It is also worth noting that this is not a single-off incident where Hindus and their gods have been insulted. Recently, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee took offence at the chanting of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ or ‘Glory to Lord Rama’ slogans. Banerjee, who was sharing the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Kolkata’s Victoria Memorial for Netaji birth anniversary celebrations, lamented of “being disrespected” because she could not stand the slogans of Jai Shri Ram, Bharat Mata ki Jai, etc when she was invited to address the event.
Lashing out after hearing ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans, Mamata Banerjee lamented before walking off the stage: “Inviting people and then disrespecting them does not behove the government. This is a government programme, not a political party’s programme”.
Also, in TMC’s West Bengal, Hindus are reduced to second-class citizens, relying on the mercy of the state government to celebrate their festivals. When festivals of two faiths converge on the same day, it is inevitably the Hindus who are told to stop their celebrations while people belonging to other faiths are free to do as they wish on their festivals. In 2017, the Mamata Banerjee-led government banned Durga idol immersion on October 1 to make way for Muharram. Hindus were told to celebrate their festival some other day because it clashed with the Islamic festival of Muharram.
Pot calling the kettle black: Moitra disparages UP for “thok do culture” while turning a blind eye to political violence in WB
Besides, it is also a bit rich coming Mahua Moitra when she slams Uttar Pradesh as a lawless state with pervasive “thok do culture”. It is West Bengal which has become a touchstone of a dystopian state under the rule of TMC. The state has witnessed increasing levels of crimes and widespread incidents of violence, and yet Moitra has the gall of accusing other states of being unruly.
TMC, which has allegedly institutionalised the use of violence against their political opponents in West Bengal, should be the last party to criticise others on the condition of law and order in their respective states. For far too long, political violence has been used by TMC as an instrument of state policy to suppress dissenting voices.
There have been umpteen incidents of violence reported in West Bengal when people not conforming to the TMC worldview are harassed, hounded, and subsequently killed. Some of these killings have happened in broad daylight, others have been in the dead of night. In most of these cases, the victims have been vocal critic of the TMC leaders and their rule and had paid the price with their lives for speaking against the state government.
There are numerous allegations that the wet-work to eliminate the dissidents is often carried out by goons that enjoy special patronage from the TMC. On some occasions, the TMC government had even been accused of using the state police force for inflicting violence against their opponents. Let alone grassroots workers, even senior opposition leaders were not spared the wrath of the TMC supporters and goons. A few months back, the convoy of BJP president JP Nadda was attacked in West Bengal. Many leaders, including senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, had sustained injuries in the attack.
So, before mocking and hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus and ridiculing Uttar Pradesh’s culture as “thok do culture”, Mahua Moitra should read up on the pervasive culture of persecution of Hindus and the prevalence of violence in West Bengal. Perhaps, that would bring a sobering realisation to the TMC MP about why is there an air of parivartan flowing in Bengal.
Actress Tanushree Dutta has come out in support of beauty influencer Hitesha Chandranee over the Zomato Controversy. She has made two Instagram posts in which she poured her heart out and came out in full support of Hitesha.
In the first post on March 16, she called everyone supporting the Zomato delivery partner “dumba**es” and said she could not understand why people are looking for the other side of the story. She said an ‘educated urban woman ordered food’ but ended up with a bleeding nose and questioned why there was supposed to be another side to it.
She further said that men who assault women would deny the allegations. She added that such men would play the sympathy card. “No man in the history of the Indian justice system has ever said “yeah I did it” they deny even when they are in prison serving a life sentence,” she added.
Why did Kamaraj not go to the Police before Hitesha, questions Tanushree
Tanushree questioned why the delivery partner did not go to the Police when Hitesha refused to pay or give back the food order, verbally abused him and hit him with a chappal. She further asked why someone would injure her own nose and harm herself for publicity. Tanushree asked if Hitesha was wrong, why Zomato is paying for her medical bills. She also claims that a 4.5 rating does not make Kamaraj a saint.
Zomato is worried about its stocks getting crashed – alleged Tanushree
In her post, Tanushree alleged that Zomato might be trying to intimidate Hitesha by looking into the other side of the story as they are worried about their stocks crashing. Interestingly, Zomato is not listed in any stock market. She further alleged that ‘paid media’ is also creating perceptions against Hitesha. As per reports, Zomato may launch its IPO in June 2021 but exact dates have not been finalised so far.
‘My Antar-Atma is yelling and abusing me’: claimed Tanushree
In a follow-up post on March 17, Dutta said that her Antar-Atma (inner conscience) is abusing her in Hindi to speak up for the Bengaluru girl as she was being silenced by big-corp intimidation and bullying. She again pointed out that the country is so that the IPO and stock valuation is more important. However, she again failed to find out if Zomato is a listed company or not.
‘Kamraj is lying & faking it for sympathy’: Tanushree
Tanushree further said that she saw Kamaraj’s video and felt that he was lying and faking it. She claimed that even a toddler could see that he was lying in the video to gain sympathy. She further pointed fingers at Police and questioned why they filed FIR against Hitesha. She further alleged Police might have got bribed by Zomato. She said, “Maybe their Desi police big bellies got stuffed by sweet-treats from the food delivery service.”
Further, throwing an angry fit on women commission and lawmakers, she said, “Where is the God-damned useless women’s commission now?? Where are the women and children ministers of the states?? Where are the oh-so-holy and dharmic spiritual gurus of our country?? Where are the bloody political parties who shout naari-naari before the votes?? You ALL are useless in protecting women in India. Only bullshit talks no show.”
Zomato controversy: All we know so far
On March 10, Instagram influencer Hitesha Chandranee had posted a 4-minute long video in which she alleged that a Zomato delivery partner assaulted her. She claimed that her food delivery got delayed and when she tried to talk to customer care, Kamaraj, the delivery partner for Zomato, barged into her house, picked up the packet and assaulted her. Showing her bleeding nose, she claimed that the injury happened because of the ring Kamaraj was wearing.
Bengaluru Police came into action after learning about the incident and arrested Kamaraj based on Hitesha’s complaint. Zomato released a statement in which they said they are assisting Hitesha with her medical expenses. They also said that they are helping Kamaraj with the legal expenses. In the statement, Zomato emphasized on the fact that Kamaraj has completed around 5,000 deliveries and has over a 4.7 rating, which is above average.
Kamaraj’s video statement started to circulate on social media in which he told his side of the story. He claimed that Hitesha hit her with a slipper and attacked him. When he tried to save himself, she got hurt by the ring she was wearing. Kamaraj said he never had any intentions to hurt Hitesha. After his video went viral, people came out in his support and demanded a fair probe in the case. A FIR based on counter-complaint against Hitesha Chandranee was filed by Kamaraj.
Tanushree’s allegations against Nana Patekar
During the Me Too movement in India in 2018, Tanushree Dutta made explosive allegations against senior actor Nana Patekar and claimed that he sexually harassed him on the set of “Horn Okay Pleassss” in 2008. She also named choreographer Ganesh Acharya in her complaint. In June 2019, Mumbai Police filed a “B Summery’ report saying that they couldn’t find evidence in support of the complaint made, and therefore they are unable to go ahead with the investigation.
It is unclear why Tanushree Dutta posted her own well-edited photographs while sharing her opinions in the Zomato case.
In a significant decision, the Karnataka State Waqf Board has issued an order banning the use of loudspeakers during Azaan between 10 pm and 6 am in mosques and dargahs across the state.
In the circular issued last week, the board said, “With the objective of maintaining the ambient standards of noise, The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 are in force. Loudspeakers shall not be used in the night time, which shall mean from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am.”
The Waqf board observed that increasing ambient noise level around many masjids and dargahs due to generator sets, loudspeakers and public address systems have deleterious effects on human health and the psychological well-being of the people.
Further, the circular said any violation near the “silence zones” will be liable for a penalty. However, the Waqf Board has also made it clear that there is no ban on Azaan, but it has only barred loudspeakers during the specified time to prevent noise pollution.
“Whoever uses sound amplifier or burst sound-emitting firecrackers, uses a loudspeaker or public address system in a silence zone is liable for penalty under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act-1986,” the circular read.
Loudspeakers should be used only for Azaan, important announcements
The order further said, “Noise-governing apparatus may be installed in the institution in consultation with the local environment officers. The management of the institutions shall train the muezzin (the person who gives the call to prayer at a mosque) to operate the amplifier within the prescribed limit”.
The orders further said that loudspeakers used during the day should be as per the ambient air quality standards, and they should not make unnecessary noise. “Loudspeakers shall be used only for Azaan and important announcements such as death, the timing of burial, the sighting of the moon etc.,” the order said.
The Waqf Board has classified areas comprising not less than 100 metres around hospitals, educational institutions and courts as silence zones. No sound-emitting firecrackers shall be burnt in or around the masjid and dargahs at any occasion, the Waqf board has ordered.
The Waqf board said that the management should use the open spaces of the masjid and dargahs for the plantation of fruit-bearing shady trees and ornamental plants. “A clean and hygienic atmosphere shall be maintained. Discourage beggary in religious premises, instead, counselling and philanthropic measures may be taken at the institution level,” the order read.
The Waqf board took these significant decisions during its 327th meeting held on December 19, 2020. The body decided to strictly adhere to the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 in Karnataka and “it unanimously resolved to create awareness amongst the managements of Masjids and Dargahs”.
Islamists attack Waqf board, says they have no right
Meanwhile, the order has not gone down well with the Islamic organisations in the state. Radical Islamic organisation SDPI has attacked the Waqf board for overstepping its jurisdiction.
Abdul Hannan, SDPI state president, said the board has no right to take decisions on Quran, Namaaz and the Azaan. He said the board should be dealing with Waqf properties that are allegedly encroached on by the government, private sector and politicians.
The Islamic clerics and Imams have accused the Waqf board of taking such a decision out of pressure from the BJP government in Karnataka.
It is important to note that a similar circular was issued during the Siddaramaiah headed the Congress government on July 10, 2017.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan slammed the Imran Khan government on Monday over the delay in convening a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) for the last two months. A two-member bench of the Pakistan Supreme Court comprising of Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Sardar Tariq reportedly said that either the government of Pakistan is not capable of running the country, or it is unable to make decisions.
The Supreme Court reprimanded the Imran Khan government for passing an ordinance delimitation of constituencies in Punjab
According to reports, the Supreme Court of Pakistan expressed disappointment over the issuance of a fresh ordinance on delimitation of constituencies by the Punjab Governor and referred the matter to the Chief Justice. Quoting the Election Commission, Justice Isa said that the ordinance had created complications. He said that the Punjab government did not want the local elections to be held. The court remarked, “The entire Punjab Assembly was bypassed on the request of one individual, even as the Punjab government does not intend to conduct the local body elections”.
On being informed that no decision regarding the census was taken in the CCI, the Supreme Court lambasted the Pakistan government for failing to take any decision. “Is it not a priority of the government to release the census results”, Justice Isa asked highlighting that the last census was held in 2017. The judge asked the government why it failed to take a decision in the CCI despite the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) having government in three provinces along with its allies. “Despite the government in three provinces, the decision has been taken in the council. Isn’t it the responsibility of the Pakistan government to release the results of the census?”, asked the judge. Objecting to the postponement of the CCI meetings despite the order of the court, Justice Isa termed it an insult to the court and said there were no war conditions preventing the CCI meeting. He said that the meeting could be held online.
The court questioned the manner in which the country is being run
The Additional Attorney General informed the court that CCI is scheduled to take place on March 24. He said that it was a sensitive matter and that the government wanted to take a decision with consensus. To this Justice Isa responded by questioning the Imran Khan government for keeping the CCI report confidential. “Are good deeds being kept a secret? It raises questions”, said Justice Isa. The judge reprimanded the Pakistan government asking whether the country was going to be run in that manner. The court said that the people needed to know what the provinces and the Centre are doing.
Amid rising concerns over increase in Chinese coronavirus cases, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has decided to skip an all CM meeting chaired by Prime Minister Modi. Citing pre-scheduled election meeting in Jhargram as the reason, Mamata Banerjee decided to remain absent for the virtual Covid review meeting which will also discuss the ongoing vaccination drive meeting. The meeting will be attended by Bengal Chief Secretary instead.
CM of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel not attending the interaction with PM Modi on COVID situation and vaccination: Sources
Chhattisgarh CM and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel, too, skipped the meeting.
The all CM meeting took place amidst growing concerns of a second Covid-19 wave as India recorded over 20,000 new coronavirus cases on 6th consecutive day. On the other hand, with 3 crore Covid shots administered, attempts are being made to strengthen and fasten the vaccination drive.
This is not the first time that Mamata Banerjee has given an all CM meeting a miss. She gave another all CM virtual meeting a miss in June 2020 after being visibly upset on not being invited as a speaker. TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh alleged in a tweet saying the Centre is against the people of Bengal.
Mamata Banerjee has also been skipping meetings held by Niti Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and termed it as a ‘futile exercise’.
Women in a Meerut locality have stopped putting their underwear out to dry after two thieves were caught on camera stealing them. The two accused arrested by Meerut police in the case relating to the theft of the undergarments of women hanging out for drying in Sadar Bazar area in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh have revealed the reason for the theft. The duo claimed to have done so for sexual pleasure. As per reports, they have stolen undergarments of at least ten women.
The two accused identified as Mohammand Romin and Mohammad Assak were arrested by the police on Tuesday. They are reportedly pursuing Bachelor of Arts (B.A.).
Accused admitted to having stolen undergarments of over 10 women for sexual pleasure
According to Jagran, Romin who is a resident of Sotiganj area of Meerut, told Station House Officer Sadar Bazar Vijendra Rana that he and other persons involved in the theft used to steal the undergarments of women for sexual pleasure. He admitted to having stolen the undergarments of more than 10 women so far. Police have recovered some undergarments from the him. Police are expecting the involvement of more persons in the matter. A search for the same will soon be conducted.
Merchants of Sadar Bazar alleged involvement of a gang targeting Hindu women
On Sunday, some merchants had protested at the Sadar Bazar police station alleging that a gang comprising of persons from a particular community has been stealing undergarments of women in Sadar Bazar area. According to the report, the culprits used to target Hindu colonies to steal the underwear of women from their houses. They had marked some posh colonies of the city for the theft and have been stealing the undergarments for about a month. The two arrested accused were captured in a CCTV camera stealing the undergarments of women hanging on a cloth stand outside a house in the area on March 14. From the CCTV recording the accused were identified as Romin and Akkas.
Video of accused stealing the undergarments from outside a house had gone viral
A video of two men stealing the undergarments hanging outside a house for drying while on their way to offer namaz had gone viral. In the video the two men, one of whom was wearing a skull cap, were seen arriving on a two wheeler. The person wearing the skull cap is seen getting off the two-wheeler and walking away to offer namaz while the other one steals the underwear and drives away with it.
A complaint was filed by a person named Sanjay Chaudhary at Sadar Bazar police station on March 14 claiming that he had recorded the video of two men stealing the underwear of his minor daughter. The police had filed a case under sections 379 (theft) and 509 (gesture made to outrage modesty of a woman).
Sangita Srivastava, Vice-Chancellor of Allahabad Central University, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, has written a letter to the District Magistrate, Commissioner, Inspector General, and other officers complaining about the Azaan played on loudspeakers at Mosque near her residence. The Vice-Chancellor has said that the sound of Azan played through loudspeakers from mosques is disrupting her sleep, which in turn is affecting her work.
Letter written by VC Srivastava (Image: Twitter/rahulrajnews)
In her complaint, she said, “Every morning at around 5:30 AM, the loud sound of the loudspeaker playing Azaan disrupts my sleep.” She further said that her life is getting disrupted as she could not sleep properly. She said during Ramzan, they announce Sahari at 4 AM in the morning that will aggravate the problem. She alleged that disturbance in sleep is causing headache that results in loss of working hours. “The constitution of India envisages a secular and peaceful co-existence of all communities which needs to be practiced in letter and spirit,” she added.
“Your freedom ends where my nose begins,” Srivastava wrote adding that she is not against any religion, caste or creed. She wrote, “I am not against any religion, caste or creed, they may perform the Azan without the mike so that others are not disturbed. Even before Eid, they announce Sehri on the mike at 4.00 am. This practice also creates disturbance to other people.”
She further mentioned the order passed by Allahabad High Court in 2020 that allows mosques to play Azaan but without microphones. VC Srivastava resides in Civil Lines, and there is a mosque close to her house. Her husband, Justice Vikram Nath, is Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court.
Rahul Gandhi is his latest interview to Brown University professor, camouflaged his attack on the Bhartiya Janta Party by claiming Saddam Hussein and Gaddafi won elections too. Taking a jibe at the Centre, he added, both Saddam Hussein and Gaddafi did not need votes but used the electoral process to capture power.
This came after Professor Ashutosh Varshney of USA’s Brown University asked Rahul for his commentary on ‘decline in democracy’ in India as cited by V-Dem institutes independent report. However, it is interesting to note that Gaddafi came to power in Libya in September 1969 as the leader through a military coup which overthrew the British-backed King Idris and not through a democratic electoral process.
Further, Saddam Hussein was captured by the US forces in 2003 and after he was found guilty of crimes against humanity in 2006, was hanged to death. Essentially, by invoking these dictators, Rahul Gandhi is dogwhistling and implicitly nudging foreign intervention in Indian affairs.
Rahul then went on to attack the RSS when asked about the Idea of India juxtaposing it with the Idea of US. He claimed RSS and Shishu Mandir exist for breaking the idea of India and these institutions are used to siphon off public money. In another shocking statement, he claimed the ideology and strategy of RSS resembles to that of Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.
He supported his claim of ‘capture of power (by BJP) through electoral process’ by citing vague examples such as getting his mike switched off in a parliamentary session. He said the Centre has left no room for negotiations or to present new ideas especially in the parliament. Quite rich to come from him as his attendance in the parliament is at 53%.
In yet another bizarre attack, he alleged Facebook India Head to be a BJP member. Suggesting controlling the election narrative through social media is unethical, it is funny to note that the Congress has recently hired 5 lakh IT Cell members. The interaction has yet again raised eyebrows as one can listen to plethora of controversial statements by Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi.
