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Rape, torture and police apathy: Rajasthan’s Jhalawar rape case where over a dozen men raped a minor for eight days

OpIndia Staff
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Rape, torture and police apathy: Rajasthan’s Jhalawar rape case where over a dozen men raped a minor for eight days

The recent Rajasthan’s Jhalawar rape case has sent shivers down the spine of the nation. On 9th March it was reported that a 15-year-old girl from Suket town of Kota district in Rajasthan was abducted and brutally raped by over a dozen people for over eight days at separate places in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district.

The victim told the police that she wasn’t kept confined in one place in Jhalawar but was moved from one house to another. She was repeatedly raped by different men through these eight days. She was drugged when she groaned in pain, beaten up and threatened with dire consequences whenever she tried putting up resistance. The girl, however, managed to escape and reach her home on March 5 (Friday), after which a complaint was filed and police began investigating the case.

20 people arrested so far in the Jhalawar rape case

According to the latest report by Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar, the police registered a case under IPC Sections 363, 376(D) along with provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the SC/ST Act. 20 people, including four minors, have so far been arrested for their alleged involvement in the case.

The Jhalawar rape case

In what transpired, a woman being described as the victim’s acquaintance had allegedly lured her to travel to the adjoining district of Jhalawar on February 25 to get her a school bag as a gift. As Bulbul and Chothmal were familiar with the girl, she did not resist going to Jhalawar with them. But the woman, in turn, handed her over to 3-4 young men who confined her in different locations of Jhalawar where she was gangraped by strangers.

On March 5, Bulbul and Chothmal brought the minor victim back to her home in Suket where she narrated her ordeal to her mother following which the case was filed on March 6. The victim’s statements were recorded on March 9 (Tuesday) before the city magistrate.

The district police formed three teams under Paras Jain, the additional SP Kota Rural who is leading the investigations. Speaking to the media, the SP had said then that three of the accused, identified as Chothmal Mali (20), Pooja Jain alias Bulbul (around 19 to 20) and a minor boy were arrested late on Monday night itself from Suket and Ramganj Mandi areas of Kota district while three other accused identified as Arshad Ayub alias Chinta, Toshif alias Nana and Shahrukh, all residents of Jhalawar district, were arrested by a district special team (DST) from Jawar in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday morning.

A Hindustan Times report quoted a police officer as saying that were trying to ascertain why the rape survivor’s family did not file a missing report after she did not return home on February 25 or if there was negligence at any level.

The victim and her family allege police apathy

However, a report by Dainik Bhaskar said that the victim, who was abducted on February 25, 2021, had approached the Rajasthan police on March 6 with a complaint against her abductors and rapists but she was not entertained. She said that she went to the police station with her widow mother to lodge a complaint against the accused, but the police refused to take down her complaint.

It also reported that after the girl had gone missing, the brother of the victim had also gone to the police station several times to lodge a missing complaint, but the police officials had driven him away. 

BJP leaders raise concerns on the deteriorating law and order condition in Rajasthan

Meanwhile, BJP leaders hit the streets in Kota to condemn the deteriorating law and order condition under the leadership of the Congress government in the state. The BJP leaders demonstrated for hours in front of Suket police station, demanding strict and prompt action in the case.

‘This temple has been robbed 4 times, priests have been killed’: Dasna temple Mahant exposes media propaganda behind #SorryAsif

OpIndia Staff
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‘This temple has been robbed 4 times, priests have been killed’: Dasna temple Mahant exposes media propaganda behind #SorryAsif

Days after a Muslim boy named Asif was thrashed for allegedly drinking water at a Hindu temple in Dasna area of ​​Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, the Head Priest (Mahant) Yati Narasinhanand Saraswati has dismissed the charges.

In an interview with The Quint, he pointed out that the Muslim population in the area is around 95% while Hindus comprise only 5% of the population. Yati Narasihanand Saraswati said that the Hindu temple, where the incident took place, is frequented by several female devotees from nearby villages who are often targetted by Muslim goons. He added that whenever a complaint was lodged against the harassment meted out to the female devotees, the Muslim society would come out in support of the accused.

The Mahant emphasised that incidents of theft, assault and sexual harassment of female devotees went on to such an extent that the temple management was forced to bar the entry of Muslims in the temple premises.

“If a Hindu boy does such an act, the family will warn him against repeating such actions. But this is not the case with Muslims,” the Mahant added. Aggrieved by the constant harassment, the temple authorities had put up a signboard, barring the entry of Muslims into the premises. While speaking about the issue at hand, he said that the real motive of the boy was not to ‘drink water’. To substantiate his claims, Yati Narasihanand Saraswati pointed out that there were two water taps, one across the road and one right at the entrance of the temple.

The Quint reporter argued that the boy was illiterate and therefore could not read the signboard. “How come a 14-15 year-old boy does not know how to read?” the Mahant inquired. “What is the point of raising so many children if they can’t even provide basic literacy? Is it to commit theft, robbery and loot? This temple has been robbed 4 times. Several Mahants had been killed or forced to leave. This is the history of this temple. Did you report about any of this?” he asked.

Mahant Yati questions Quint and its biased reporting

Yati Narasihanand Saraswati said that Muslims will be allowed within the temple premises, only if they come to offer prayers as per Hindu customs and faith. He also showed his willingness to visit a mosque if he is allowed to undertake Hindu rituals there. However, he emphasised that attempts to molest female devotees, desecrating Hindu idols and plotting murder conspiracies would not be tolerated. The Mahant said that he has been facing death threats from the Popular Front of India (PFI) and local Muslims.

The Head Priest added that when the Muslims in the area failed to harm him, they instead killed BJP’s local leader BS Tomar in Dudhi Peepal village in Dasna area. “Did the Quint bother to make a documentary on it?” he asked. Yati Narasihanand Saraswati, “I feel bad when media organisations rush to temples over a small incident to defame Hindus but do not pay any heed to real events.”

Mahant Yati Narasinhanand Saraswati asserted that the temple is a private property and not a public property. He stated that the temple management body reserves the right of entry and even journalists and government officials, if they are Muslim, will not be allowed inside the premises.

Minor son of Aslam Chaudhary was thrashed last year for molesting women

Citing an incident from last year, Yati Narasihanand Saraswati said that the son of local MLA Aslam Chaudhary was thrashed inside temple premises for molesting a female devotee. He reiterated that he was a minor too. “Did ‘The Quint’ or ‘The Wire’ cover it? The incident was caught on CCTV camera. They had pressurised the police to withdraw the case. This temple if our property. It is not open for everyone. This temple is only for the followers of Sanatan Dharma,” the Mahant added.

Won’t let them molest our daughters, say Yati Narasihanand Saraswati

He also vowed to fight the matter legally, after his followers were arrested by the police for thrashing the Muslim boy. Yati Narasinhanand Saraswati pointed out that a section of the media, who receive funding from abroad and Jihadists, is not leaving any stone unturned to target the temples. “We don’t go to your mosque. We don’t harass your women. Still, our temple is being targeted? I will not allow anyone to come here and molest our daughters,” he concluded.

Asif beaten because he was caught stealing: Local

Earlier, a pandit (priest) at the temple had rubbished reports which claimed that Asif was thrashed for being a Muslim or for drinking water. He contended that he was beaten because people have been caught indulging in antisocial activities at the temple compound.

“This has been a pattern for a few years now. These people (Muslims) are often caught vandalising inside the premises. They have been caught urinating on the idols and even letting their domestic animals defecate inside the sanctuaries. They are also caught stealing steel pipes and other things from the compound. He (Asif) was also found stealing something. The story that he was in the temple for drinking water is simply hogwash. He is not the only one. There are, at least 50 Muslims like him, who enter the temple compound with the aim of stealing valuables. When they are caught, they claim innocence by claiming they were in the compound for drinking water,” he said.

The pandit contended that men from the other community in the region enter temple premises during day hours for recce purposes and later in the night carry out robberies. He cited 4 instances of dacoities when valuables in the temple compound were stolen.

Quran controversy: Shia lawyer offers money to behead ex-UP Shia Board Chief Waseem Rizvi, offers to sell his child to collect money

OpIndia Staff
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Quran controversy: Shia lawyer offers money to behead ex-UP Shia Board Chief Waseem Rizvi, offers to sell his child to collect money

Amir-ul-Hassan Jafari, a Shia lawyer and ‘activist’, has announced Rs 11 lakh bounty for whoever beheads ex-UP Shia Board Chief Waseem Rizvi for his petition to remove 26 verses from Quran. Rizvi, in his petition, alleged that these verses promote terrorism and jihad. Since the reports came out about his petition, Rizvi has been facing backlash from the Muslim community.

In his statement, former president of Moradabad Bar Association, Amir-ul-Hassan Jafari, was addressing a program in Moradabad where he said that Rizvi is a demon. “He is not a Hindu or Muslim; he is a demon. I want to announce that whoever beheads him, I will give him Rs 11 lakh.”

When Jafari was confronted by the media about his statement, he repeated that he would award anyone who brings Waseem’s head. He further added that to pay the bounty, he will collect money from the bar association, and if he still could not collect the amount, he would sell his child. When he was further asked if beheading will solve all the problems, he said, “There is no less punishment for anyone who disrespects Quran Sharif.” He claimed that had it been Sharia Law in India, Rizvi would have been stoned to death by now.

A tsunami of death threats against Rizvi

Since Rizvi filed the petition, he has been attacked with death threats. On the day he filed the petition Hasnain Jaffrey Dumpy, the national president of the Islamic organisation – Shiane-Haider-e-Karrar Welfare Association, announced that he would give Rs 20,000 to anyone who brings Rizvi’s head.

An undated video emerged from Kashmir, where a group of people were demanding a death sentence for Rizvi. For some unknown reason, they also chanted slogans against America.

In Lucknow during Tahaffuz-e-Quran (a rally called to save Quran), Kalbe Sibtain Noori, son of senior cleric Maulana Kable Sadiq said that Rizvi’s own family called him a kafir, and he should not be buried in a Muslim cemetery. “Mutawwali of the Talkatora Imambara where he has reserved a grave for himself should take a decision to cancel his grave as a Muslim cemetery can only bury Muslims,” he added.

Maulana Fazley Mannan said during the same rally, “He is trying to create a rift between us but that has only brought us together as one Ummah, one book and one Prophet. We should hold on to Allah stronger than ever and the government should put him behind bars.”

Imam of Teeley Wali Masjid, Maulana Fazley Mannan said, “He is trying to create a rift between us but that has only brought us together as one Ummah, one book and one Prophet. We should hold on to Allah stronger than ever and the government should put him behind bars.”

As per some reports, some youth in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, demolished the grave Rizvi had reserved for himself in Talkatora Imambara.

In Banihal, Jammu and Kashmir, a group of Sunni Muslims burnt an effigy of Wasim Rizvi and demanded a death sentence for him.

Rizvi disowned by his family

A video of his brother Zaheer Rizvi also emerged in which he claimed that Waseem Rizvi is longer associated with his family, and for the last three years, he had not visited him once. He even called him mad.

He said, “I have no information about what he said, why he said and who asked him to say that. Allah will keep Quran safe. No one should be worried as no verses will be ever removed from the Quran.”

ATS officer had a spat with Sachin Vaze over non-compliance with police protocols in the Antilia bomb case: Report

OpIndia Staff
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ATS officer had a spat with Sachin Vaze over non-compliance with police protocols in the Antilia bomb case: Report

The Antilia bomb scare case is getting murkier by the day. After revelations about the Scorpio car not being stolen, CCTV footage of Vaze’s society procured and possibly damaged by him, and the drivers of Scorpio and Innova cars being under the payroll of the police force, another intriguing disclosure has been made about the ongoing case. A report by TV 9 Marathi report states that Sachin Vaze had an altercation with an official of the State Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) reportedly over non-compliance of protocols after explosives were found outside the residence of billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani.

The ATS team reached the spot on February 25 after learning that explosives had been found outside Ambani’s house. An ATS officer then asked Sachin Vaze where the Scorpio with the explosives was. At that time, Vaze was eating a sandwich. He issued an order to a police officer to show the car to the officer. The concerned ATS officer was outraged by Sachin Vaze’s callous behaviour. It is also understood that the ATS officer reported Sachin Vaze’s behaviour with his seniors.

Report claims Sachin Vaze was unforthcoming in the investigation by the NIA

Sachin Vaze is reportedly not cooperating with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the probe related to the explosives planted outside Mukesh Ambani’s house. A report about the matter said Vaze has not been forthcoming in the investigation and is providing evasive answers to the questions posed by the premier investigation agency.

In the submissions made by the NIA in a special court, it alleged that Vaze had refused to bring his mobile to the NIA office. It said Vaze stated that the mobile phone stays at home and therefore he had not carried it with him. It is pertinent to note that the mobile phone could be a vital source of evidence, especially after former CM Devendra Fadnavis alleged that Sachin Vaze was in contact with the owner of the car that was found outside Ambani residence.

Significantly, the report also mentions that Sachin Vaze’s family is missing for the last few days. It says no one is living at Vaze’s house in Thane and his family is untraceable.

The report also accuses Sachin Vaze of destroying evidence in the name of a police investigation. Before the matter snowballed and Mansukh Hiren was found dead in a creek near Thane, the case was being investigated by Sachin Vaze. Vaze had apparently seized several items in the Mansukh Hiren case. However, he did not mention those things in the police record, the report says.

Scorpio car outside Antilia was never stolen, drivers of Scorpio and Innova work in the police force: Shocking new revelations in the Antilia case

OpIndia Staff
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Scorpio car outside Antilia was never stolen, drivers of Scorpio and Innova work in the police force: Shocking new revelations in the Antilia case

In another sensational disclosure, the explosives-laden Scorpio car found outside Antilia was never stolen but used by Assistant Police officer Sachin Vaze, a report published by TV 9 Marathi said.

According to the report, the car was not stolen but was being used by Sachin Vaze. The sources quoted by the Marathi vernacular media outlet said that the car was used by Vaze, and he had asked Hiren to file a false complaint about it being stolen. The NIA believe the owner of the car was pressurised to file a complaint about his missing car. Mansukh Hiren, the owner of Scorpio, had filed a missing car complaint at the Vikhroli police station.

It is pertinent to note that days before his death, Mansukh Hiren, whose Scorpio car was found outside the Ambani residence, had penned an agonising letter, accusing the police of harassment. Three days after he wrote the letter, Mansukh was found dead in a creek near Thane.

Sachin Vaze reportedly visited local shop to get fake number plates, drivers of the car found to be employed by the police force: Report

It is also being reported that Vaze had gone to a local shop to make fake number plates. He created bogus number plates for the two cars—Scorpio and Innova—that were found outside the Ambani residence. The Scorpio was fitted with a scooter number plate, sources said.

Another shocking piece of information that has surfaced in the Antilia Bomb scare case is that the drivers of the two cars found outside Ambani’s residence were both working in the police force. According to the sources quoted by TV 9 Marathi, the two drivers of Innova and Scorpio are working in the police force and were in touch with tainted police officer Sachin Vaze.

Meanwhile, NIA officials are on the trail of both the drivers. A high alert is sounded to prevent the drivers from fleeing anywhere, sources said, adding that the two drivers may be called for questioning soon. It is pertinent to note that both the drivers belong to the CIU unit of the Mumbai Police, the same unit in which Vaze served as Assistant Police officer.

Ever since the NIA took over the Antilia bomb scare case, shocking new details have emerged in the case on a regular basis. The details have inextricably linked the Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze with the incident. The involvement of Mumbai Police has also come under the spotlight, especially after the recovery of the Innova car from the office of the Mumbai Police Commissioner and now with the involvement of drivers working in the police force.

Innova car recovered from the office of Mumbai Police Commissioner

After the case was transferred to the ATS, the National Investigation Agency(NIA) was called in to handle the probe related to the recovery of explosives from a car parked near Mukesh Ambani’s residence in Mumbai. On Saturday night, Sachin Vaze was arrested by the NIA after hours-long interrogation in the Antilia bomb scare.

On Sunday, a white Innova car, that was tailing the explosive-laden Scorpio was found from the office of the Mumbai Police commissioner and was used by Vaze’s Crime Investigation Unit (CIU). Some reports had then suggested that the car was used by Vaze himself. Vaze had also reportedly named Shiv Sena leaders in the Antilia case.

Missing CCTV footage of his society procured by Vaze himself, presumably to destroy the evidence: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Missing CCTV footage of his society procured by Vaze himself, presumably to destroy the evidence: Report

In a shocking new revelation, it is being reported that the CCTV footage of Vaze’s society which had gone missing, was procured by none other than the tainted police officer himself. Vaze had reportedly seized the CCTV footage of his society, stating that the DVR was needed for official use by the police, a report by TV 9 Marathi says. The footage was subsequently damaged. Vaze had allegedly confiscated the video footage so that no evidence can be found during the interrogation, the report added.

The report further stated that Vaze had written a letter to the society in the name of his friend to procure the video footage. The letter is currently in possession of the NIA. The letter said the footage was needed for an inquiry into the Ambani case and was signed by Waze, sources said.

In the preliminary investigation by the NIA, it has been reportedly found that Vaze had tried to destroy the CCTV footage of the society. It is also been revealed that Vaze not only tried to destroy the CCTV footage but also the digital video recorder of the CCTV cameras. Many of the DVRs that were in Vaze’s possession have been found in damaged condition, the report said.

CCTV footage of Sachin Vaze’s society had gone missing

Earlier yesterday, it was reported that the CCTV footage of Sachin Vaze’s society had gone missing. According to the report, the officials of Mumbai Police had confiscated CCTV footage from Sachin Vaze’s society, days before Mansukh Hiren was found dead on the banks of a creek that flows towards Mumbra from Thane.

Sachin Vaze lives in the B-6 wing of the Saket Complex in Thane. A total of 51 CCTV cameras are installed in his society complex. It was reported earlier that Mumbai Police officials had come down to the society and took the CCTV footage of the camera feeds away with them.

Sachin Vaze’s connection in the Antilia Bomb scare case

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made a sensational disclosure on March 5 in Vidhan Sabha when he claimed that Assistant Police officer Sachin Vaze was in touch with Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the Scorpio car that was found laden with explosives outside the Ambani residence.

Fadnavis has alleged conspiracy behind the attack against Mukesh Ambani, alleging that it could not be a coincidence that the car was stolen from Thane, the route they followed was also from Thane and the IO investigating the case also lived in Thane.

Shortly after Fadnavis’ revelation, Mansukh Hiren was found in a creek in Thane. Hiren’s wife has accused Vaze of murdering her husband. The case was transferred to the Anti-Terrorism Squad on March 6 and Vaze was removed from the Mumbai Police Crime Branch after his name surfaced in connection with the matter.

National Commission for Minorities demands unconditional apology from Waseem Rizvi over Quran controversy

OpIndia Staff
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National Commission for Minorities demands unconditional apology from Waseem Rizvi over Quran controversy

The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) served a notice to the former Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board Waseem Rizvi on Monday after he called for the removal of certain verses from the Quran. The notice reportedly directs him to withdraw his comments and tender an unconditional apology.

The NCM’s notice to Rizvi which was issued on the direction of the minority panel’s Vice Chairman Atif Rasheed termed Rizvi’s remarks as “highly provocative, objectionable and malicious, prejudicial to maintenance of peace and harmony, with intent to outrage the religious feelings of a particular community and to insult the particular religion”. The notice was served in response to the complaints filed by four persons named Abdul Majid Nizami, Ali Raza Zaidi, Mohd Faizan Chaudhary and Maulana Sayed Nazar Abbas.

“The NCM directs you to withdraw your comments and tender an unconditional apology within 21 days, failing which the Commission will be constrained to hold a hearing under section 9 of the National Commission of Minorities Act, 1992 and direct appropriate authorities to take legal action as deemed fit”, the notice stated.

Waseem Rizvi approached SC seeking removal of 26 verses from the Quran that allegedly promote terrorism and jihad

Waseem Rizvi had moved the Apex Court on March 11 requesting the removal of 26 from the Quran. In his petition Rizvi stated that the Quran, the holy book of Muslims, had some verses that are used to promote terrorism, violence and jihad. He claimed that these verses were added to the Quran later by the first three Caliphs to facilitate the expansion of Islam through war. “After Mohammad, the first Caliph Hazrat Abu Bakr, the second Caliph Hazrat Umar and the third Caliph Hazrat Usman released the Quran as a book on the oral preaching of Mohammad”, Rizvi stated in the petition.

Rizvi alleged that these verses are used by terrorists to promote jihad and to mislead young Muslims by provoking and radicalising them.

Demands of Waseem Rizvi’s arrest

Following the Rizvi’s petition in the Supreme Court, many Shia as well as Sunni clerics have been demanding Rizvi’s arrest. Muslim cleric Maulana Khalid Rashid has demanded his arrest. Another Muslim cleric Kalbe Jawad Naqvi went on to declare Rizvi a descendant of Yazidis, a sect that is generally considered non-Muslims by orthodox Muslims. A joint protest rally will reportedly be organised by both Shia and Sunni communities on March 19 following the prayers at the Jama Masjid in Delhi against Rizvi.

Accused over 16 years should be tried as adults under POCSO Act: Parliamentary panel raises concern over increase in sexual crimes against children

OpIndia Staff
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Accused over 16 years should be tried as adults under POCSO Act: Parliamentary panel raises concern over increase in sexual crimes against children

A parliamentary panel comprising of MPs from Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha made an observation that stated, minor sexual offenders may be prone to conduct more heinous crimes if left uncounseled.

Noting an increase in cases filed under POCSO Act where the age of the accused was under 18 years, the committee has submitted a report ‘Atrocities Against Women and Children’ which suggests amending the POCSO Act to reduce the current threshold of punishable age from 18 years to 16 years.

The committee, led by Congress MP Anand Sharma, has stated that it is very important to relook at the provisions of the POCSO Act because the number of juveniles involved in sexual crimes are increasing rapidly.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs stated that more and more juveniles are getting involved in such crimes. The latest government data reveals that there has been an 18% increase in cases registered under the POCSO Act from 2018 to 2019.

As per the current provisions of the POCSO Act, accused above 16 years of age only face trial if the crime committed is heinous in nature, like violent rape or murder. The committee suggested that the Home Ministry should take it up with the Ministry of WCD to check if the age limit of 18 years can be reduced to 16 years for the general applicability of POCSO Act.

The panel also raised concern over non registration of crime cases against women and children, citing it as the main reason for delay or denial of justice to the victim and their families. To encourage registration of crimes, the committee recommends developing and promoting online registration of FIR under various categories, particularly for crimes against women and children.

The panel also recommended taking strict action against police personnel and complainant filing false cases of crime against women and children and suggested that laws should be amended to tackle the menace. The committee said, “those individuals who register false cases must not go scot-free.”

Batla House encounter: As Ariz Khan faces the gallows, here is a list of politicians who shed tears for the Indian Mujahideen terrorists

Dibakar Dutta
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Batla House encounter: As Ariz Khan faces the gallows, here is a list of politicians who shed tears for the Indian Mujahideen terrorists

In a major development on Monday, 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. The same court had pronounced Ariz Khan guilty on March 8, asserting that the prosecution had successfully proved the case.

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.

Although brave Delhi Police cop Mohan Chand Sharma was martyred, several politicians began peddling conspiracy theories to suggest that the encounter was a false-flag operation. Instead of empathising with the martyr’s family, top political leaders from the Congress, Trinamool Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) appeared to be resorting to Muslim appeasement and vote bank politics to stir sympathy for the Indian Mujahideen terrorists.

Batla House encounter was fake, claimed Congress leader Digvijaya Singh

While addressing the media in July 2013 during his visit to Indore, Congress heavyweight leader Digvijaya Singh refused to apologise to the BJP over his claims that the Batla House encounter was fake. Singh stated, “I will never apologise. I still maintain that encounter was fake.” He further reiterated that those unhappy with the verdict in the Batla House case can appeal to the Court.

Singh, who had been demanding a judicial probe in the Batla House encounter, said, “I have not seen the court order nor am I one of the parties in the case. The parties in the case can accept it or appeal against it. It will be their decision.”

Screengrab of the Hindustan Times article

Digvijaya Singh, who had been vocal against the Batla House encounter, had also released a book in the aftermath of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The book claimed that the Mumbai terror attack, which was the handiwork of the Pakistani terrorists, was instead an RSS conspiracy.

Mamata Banerjee claimed Balta House encounter was fake

Back in 2008, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee had even vowed to quit her political career if her claim that the ‘Batla House encounter was fake’ turned out to be false. “The encounter was fake. If it turns out to be false, then I will leave politics.”

Here is a video of Banerjee promising to quit politics if Batla House encounter is not fake.

Arvind Kejriwal, Muslim vote bank and his defence of terrorists

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal did not want to be left behind. In 2013, Arvind Kejriwal demanded an ‘independent investigation’ into the Batla House encounter. Casting aspersions on the authenticity of the encounter, he said, “The court has said the youth (killed in the Batla House incident) were terrorists. I had said that even if they were terrorists, it was extremely important to catch them alive to know who their real handlers are. There needs to be an independent investigation to know if it was necessary to kill them.”

Screengrab of the Hindustan Times report

He had also insinuated that the martyrdom of Mohan Chand Sharma was an inside job. “It must also be probed under what circumstances the police officer (Mohan Chand) was killed,” Kejriwal emphasised. In a bid to draw Muslim voters, he said that his party members such as Prashant Bhushan have been fighting battles for Muslims like in ‘fake Batla House encounter.’

Kejriwal had made these statements just months ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections where his party emerged as single largest party but had failed to cross the majority mark.

Recently, Law Minister RS Prasad hit out at both Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal for casting aspersions about the 2008 encounter. He said, “The Samajwadi Party, BSP, Congress, Left and Mamata Banerjee made the Batla House incident a national issue. What does this mean? Will our fight against terrorism be weakened for votes? Today, after more than 100 people testified and scientific and medical evidence led to the conviction of a big terrorist in the case, will these parties apologise.”

Sonia Gandhi cried over ‘visuals’ of Batla House encounter

Salman Khurshid, a senior Congress leader, 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 mater. I talked to the PM and it was decided that the matter will be further investigated.”

Screengrab of the NDTV report

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.

While political opportunism is not new to Indian politics, the Batla House encounter was a glaring example of putting vote bank politics over the country’s interests. By insinuating that the probe was not independent, stirring sympathy for the terrorists, mocking the martyrdom of MC Sharma, casting aspersions about the genuinity of the encounter, the Congress, AAP and TMC have let the country down.

Pakistan endangers lives of asylum seekers linked with anti-Erdogan movement, hands over their names to Turkey: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan endangers lives of asylum seekers linked with anti-Erdogan movement, hands over their names to Turkey: Report

In what can be called a blatant breach of UN regulations, the government of Pakistan is said to have handed over confidential information to Turkey about Turks affiliated with the Gülen movement, who had sought protection status with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Islamabad, a report in Nordic Monitor has stated.

A number of Turks associated with the Gülen movement reportedly seek asylum in Pakistan due to the risk of torture, ill-treatment and also death in Turkey.

Pakistani authorities had reportedly negotiated a secret deal with their Turkish counterparts regarding the 334 FETÖ (Turkish government acronym to refer to the Gülen movement) members and their families who applied for refugee status with the UNHCR Pakistan office. News website Nordic Monitor has reported citing a ‘secret memo’ drafted by Turkish Foreign Ministry diplomats that Pakistan, which shares an extremely close relationship with Turkey based on mutual benefits, has shared the names of these asylum seeks with the Turkish government, putting their lives at risk.

The Gülen movement has been vocally critical of the Erdogan government, exposing its pervasive corruption, aiding armed jihadist groups and other issues. Erdogan had in the past promised to “chop off the heads of traitors”.

“A list of 334 FETÖ [Turkish government acronym to refer to the Gülen movement] members and their families who applied for refugee status with the UNHCR Pakistan office has been provided [to us] by Pakistani authorities,” stated the memo.

It is pertinent to note here, that the UNHCR mandate requires authorities to maintain strict confidentiality of those seeking asylum in their country. According to the guidelines posted on the UNHCR website, all UNHCR staff are under a duty to ensure the confidentiality of information received from or about asylum seekers and refugees, including the fact that an individual has registered or is in contact with UNHCR. The UN body also makes clear that UNHCR will not contact or share any information regarding the applicant with the country of origin.

The secret memo drafted by Turkish Foreign Ministry diplomats makes it evident that the UNHCR Islamabad office passed the confidential information to the Pakistani authorities, who in turn, breached the confidentiality and trust and handed over the list to the Turkish Embassy, the report by Nordic Monitor says.

Now, as a result of Pakistan’s hoodwinking, the asylum seekers who were named in the UNHCR list will have to face criminal prosecution, that too on false charges of terrorism in Turkey, simply because of their affiliation with the religious Gülen movement, the Nordic Monitor report says. The Gülen movement is a transnational Islamic civic society movement inspired by the Turkish preacher Muhammed Fethullah Gülen.

UNHCR staff in Pakistan broke UN rules, Pakistan then used illegally obtained information to ‘please Turkey’, says report

The memo also stated that apart from releasing the names of the 334 FETÖ who filed for protection status with UNHCR to the Turkish Embassy, Pakistani authorities also handed over a separate list of 110 people who had departed Pakistan. Of these 110, 63 FETÖs had applications pending with UNHCR.

Pakistan also said all those who had filed for protection status with UNHCR would be deported before the expiration of the one-year review period.

According to the memo, the Turkish government had assessed that 284 people linked to the movement were still in Pakistan at the time. The report says that by handing over the names of asylum seekers to the Pakistani government, the UNHCR staff at Islamabad have not only broken UN rules but have blindly disregarded the trust placed on them by the members of the Gülen movemnet.

The Gülen movement

The Gülen movement has always suffered the effects of being highly critical of the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on a host of issues ranging from the pervasive corruption in the government to Turkey’s aiding and abetting of armed jihadist groups.

According to the memo accessed by the local Turkish new website Nordic Monitor, Pakistan and Turkey had since 2014 engaging in secret talks for years on how to persecute people associated with the movement. The memo read that a deal was struck between the Turkish PM Erdoğan and then-Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during a meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly that began on September 20, 2016.

The Gülen movement is named after 81-year-old Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish Islamic cleric who began preaching in Turkey’s western city of Izmir during the mid-1960s. The Gulen’s movement is known in Turkey as Hizmet, which means “service” in Turkish.  Followers of Gulen run schools in Turkey and around the world, with an aim to  “empower youth through science, arts, and language education while providing an environment of mutual respect for different religions, ethnicities and cultures, as per its members.

It is believed that Turkey President Erdogan wanted Gülen to endorse and support all of his actions. Gulen refused this and the movement is now paying the price of independence. Erdogan accuses Gulen supporters of establishing a “parallel state” through a network of different sectors including the fields of education, media, and military.

Erdogan designated the Gulen movement a terrorist organization in May 2016 and charged Gulen and his supporters of leading a failed coup attempt on July 15 of the same year.

Erdogan vowed to “chop the heads off the traitors” behind the coup. But Gulen leadership believe it was actually Erdogan that planned the “staged” coup as an excuse to expand the persecution.

Since then, the persecution of people suspected to be having links with the Gulen movement continues unabated in Turkey, and strategic interests have bounded Pakistan to help Turkey in its ulterior motives.

Pakistan is not a signatory of the 1951 Geneva convention of the UN regarding refugees, nor the 1967 protocol. It regulates the entry, stay and movement of foreigners through the Foreigners’ Act of 1946, according to which all foreigners without valid documentation, including refugees and asylum-seekers, are subject to arrest, detention and deportation, as per UNHCR website.

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