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Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to remain in jail in the United Kingdom as judge rules against his extradition to the US

OpIndia Staff
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Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to remain in jail in the United Kingdom as judge rules against his extradition to the US

Putting speculations to rest, the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is to remain in jail in the United Kingdom, as the Britain court ruled out the possibility of Assange being extradited to the US where he is to face charges of espionage.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been in Belmarsh prison in the UK since April 2019, when he was removed from the Ecuadorian embassy in London. He had taken refuge in 2012 in the Embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden over a sexual assault case that was subsequently dropped in November 2019.

Hearing all the arguments from lawyers representing the US on Monday, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ultimately ruled in favour of Assange. Now, the US side will again have to appeal for his extradition, which could lead to years more legal wrangling.

Lawyers of Julian Assange argue that the WikiLeaks founder’s mental health could be exacerbated in US prison

The judgement was passed taking the WikiLeaks founder’s mental health into consideration as his team of lawyers had argued that Assange is suffering from mental health including suicidal tendencies, that could be exacerbated if he is placed in inhospitable prison conditions in the US.

The Wikileaks founder’s defence lawyer had also called the case politically motivated and argued that their client should be protected under the First Amendment of the US Constitution- protections that refer to freedom of speech and press.

The Wikileaks founder has been indicted by US authorities on 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse related to the publication of secret US military documents that carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison.

Recently, the social media space was full of speculations that Donald Trump might pardon Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, currently reported to be struggling in a British prison.

The activist committed to transparency has exposed numerous secrets that has embarrassed a lot of governments worldwide. Recently, Australian MP George Christensen had requested Donald Trump to pardon the Wikileaks founder. Democrat Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard had also requested the US President to pardon the Wikileaks founder and Edward Snowden.

Aurangabad renaming row: SP leader Abu Azmi who called Balasaheb Thackeray ‘old and senile’ hailed by Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut

OpIndia Staff
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Aurangabad renaming row: SP leader Abu Azmi who called Balasaheb Thackeray ‘old and senile’ hailed by Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut

As politics in Maharashtra heats up over the renaming of Aurangabad to ‘Sambhaji Nagar’, Shiv Sena seems to be trying to forge a consensus among the political parties averse to the name change. Recently, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut, known for being unapologetic and strident in slamming the critics, appeared cautious and conciliatory in responding to the opposition raised by Samajwadi Party Maharashtra chief Abu Azmi against the renaming of Aurangabad.

Raut exalted Azmi as a “wise” man and added that he would have a discussion with the SP leader to iron out differences over the renaming of Aurangabad to ‘Sambhaji Nagar’.

“I don’t think so Abu Azmi opposed the renaming of Aurangabad. I believe, he also supported the apex court’s decision of building a Ram Temple in Ayodhya. This is also people’s decision that Aurangabad’s name should be changed to Sambhaji Nagar. Abu Azmi is a prudent politician. We will talk to him. I don’t think he will oppose the move,” Raut said.

Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi opposes renaming of Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar

Raut’s charm-offensive comes on the heels of the opposition raised by Abu Azmi against the renaming of Aurangabad. He asked the Maha government to change the name of the state instead. In a video addressed to the Maharashtra government and CM Uddhav Thackeray, Azmi said that by changing the names of the city neither there is going to be any development, nor it is going to end hunger.

Abu Azmi had earlier called Balasaheb Thackeray ‘old and senile’

It is notable to mention that Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi in the past had called Balasaheb Thackeray ‘old and senile’. “Balasaheb Thackeray is a worried man. He is so angry with the Marathi manoos that he says he doesn’t even want to die in Maharashtra. People start behaving like kids once they grow old. So I don’t want to demean myself by commenting on him,” Azmi had said.

The unflattering remarks by Azmi, which were made more than a decade ago, had sparked angry reactions from Shiv Sainiks, who threatened the Samajwadi Party leader for his comments against Balasaheb Thackeray.

This was not the only time that Azmi had taken a dig at the Shiv Sena founder’s age. A week before he called Thackeray old and senile, Azmi had asked Balasaheb Thackeray to retire from politics. “Uncle, your time is up. You have grown old. So say things that make others happy. Why do you spread hatred?” Azmi had said.

Days after ‘motivated’ IAS officers cried ‘hate politics’, 224 former IAS officers support anti-conversion law in UP: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Days after ‘motivated’ IAS officers cried ‘hate politics’, 224 former IAS officers support anti-conversion law in UP: Details

In a big development, about 224 former IAS officers have written to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, extending their support to the recently enacted anti-conversion law in the State. The letter comes days after 104 ‘motivated’ ex-IAS officers demanded the withdrawal of the law, meant to contain the epidemic of grooming jihad.

The letter, as accessed by Times Now, read, “It is a matter of concern that one group of retired civil servants, visibly biased, with an anti-establishment attitude despite overtly posing as non-political, repeatedly avail of every opportunity to put the Indian democracy, its institutions and persons, legitimately holding IAS officers in poor light before the whole world by making ill-considered public statements.”

Under the umbrella of ‘Forum of Concerned Citizens’, the 224 retired IAS officers have stated that the ‘motivated’ civil servants and other vested interests are working on a mission to downgrade the integrity of India.

While speaking to Times Now, one of the signatories of the letter, Yogendra Narain said that the anti-conversion law is necessary to put a check on illegal conversions. He said that the Uttar Pradesh government took the right step by making a legal framework for all in dealing with such cases. “The law applies to all. It is not targeted at a particular religion or sect… If anyone wants (to convert), they must follow the legal procedure. It is the right of the government to determine how conversions should take place,” Narain emphasised.

On being asked about the claims made by the other group of 104 ex-civil servants, Yogendra Narain said that the Chief Minister has been duly elected by the people and that the government is within its right to frame such a law. He added that the institution of Judiciary is there to determine the ‘constitutional validity’ of the anti-conversion law. Narain conceded that the menace of forceful conversions had been highlighted by several newspapers and it was high time that the government intervened in the issue.

104 former IAS officers demand the withdrawal of anti-conversion law

Earlier, 104 ex-IAS officers had written to Yogi Adityanath and alleged that Uttar Pradesh had become the epicentre of ‘hate politics’. “It has become painfully evident that, in recent years, UP state, once known as the cradle of the Ganga-Jamuna civilisation, has become the epicentre of the politics of hate, division and bigotry and that the institutions of governance are now steeped in communal poison,” they argued.

Claiming that the Uttar Pradesh CM needed to re-educate himself about Constitutional principles, the letter further alleged, “… a series of heinous atrocities committed by your administration against young Indians across Uttar Pradesh… Indians who are simply seeking to live their lives as free citizens of a free country.”

How ABP News used titillating image of Sana Khan, who left showbiz for Allah, to insinuate her husband leaked her nudes

OpIndia Staff
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How ABP News used titillating image of Sana Khan, who left showbiz for Allah, to insinuate her husband leaked her nudes

Former Bollywood actress Sana Khan, who left showbiz for Allah, recently got married to a cleric. Following her low-key wedding, she went to Kashmir for her honeymoon. The honeymoon pictures she shared on her social media account got widely covered in media. On 14 December 2020, ABP News published an article titled “In Pics: हनीमून पर पति ने क्लिक की सना खान की ऐसी तस्वीरें, इंटरनेट पर हो रही हैं वायरल (Sana Khan’s husband clicked such images on her honeymoon, they are going viral on Internet)”

ABP News article on Sana Khan’s honeymoon

One of the image in the collage was of Sana sporting a bra. Soon, screenshots of this image went viral where it was claimed that her husband leaked Sana Khan’s semi-nude images.

Tweet claiming Sana Khan’s cleric husband leaked her nudes

However, that is not true. The top left corner image of Khan in the above collage is from the time she was an actress.

Sana Khan in the song ‘Wajah Tum Ho’

Similarly, the second image in the collage is from a photoshoot she was part of way back in October 2017. Hence, ABP News shared a titillating image with a click-baity headline to insinuate that Sana Khan’s husband shared her image in a bra from their honeymoon. However, as can be seen, that is not it.

Sana Khan left showbiz for Allah

Former Bollywood entertainer Sana Khan, who participated in reality show like Bigg Boss and had acted in Salman Khan movies like Jai Ho recently married a Surat-based Muslim Cleric, Mufti Anas. She had earlier quit the glamour world for Islam. As per reports, Bigg Boss 8 contestant Ajaz Khan, who regularly posts communally sensitive remarks on social media, introduced her to her husband. 

‘Govt is paying MSP much higher than market price for some crops’: Nitin Gadkari speaks on farm reforms, ethanol fuel and more

OpIndia Staff
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‘Govt is paying MSP much higher than market price for some crops’: Nitin Gadkari speaks on farm reforms, ethanol fuel and more

In a recent interview with the Indian Express, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and the Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Nitin Gadkari talked about future of electric vehicles, possibilities of improving farmers’ income with ethanol production, research on sodium-ion batteries, Tesla in India and more. Here is a glimpse of changes India will experience in the coming days.

Large-scale production of electric vehicles (EVs in India)

The Union Minister while answering a question on large-scale production of EVs in India said that many small companies are already manufacturing e-bikes and e-scooters in Uttar Pradesh and other states. The main issue these companies are facing is the availability of the lithium-ion battery. As a significant stake in lithium-ion mines, including those in Argentina, are under Chinese hold, it is little problematic for Indian manufacturers.

However, the Minister said that there is a lot of research going on in developing aluminium-ion. These aluminium-ion batteries will not only be readily available but will cost much less compared to the lithium-ion batteries. Gadkari gave the example of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) that uses different types of batteries to send satellites. The research for alternate is on the final stages, and the Minister said he is confident that out IITs and engineers will get success in the field.

He said, “I am confident that in some time we will get a lot of new alternatives, and soon EVs will be the future of the country.” In cities like Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur etc. the number of electric buses is increasing. Even the electric tractor is in the process of making. Recently, Gadkari also launched JCB that runs on CNG. The Union Minister asserted that a lot is happening in the field that will help in reducing pollution substantially in coming years.

Tesla’s arrival at India

While talking about Tesla, the Minister said that the company would start its operations in India by early 2021. However, the Minister said that it would be better to talk about it from the manufacturing point of view after Tesla starts operations in India. There is a lot of research going on in the field of bio-fuel, ethanol, methanol, bio-CNG, bio-diesel, etc. that will bring major brands to India. Tesla is going to start with sales, and once the sales increase, they will start assembling and then manufacturing, Gadkari said in the Indian Express interview.

Though infrastructure is improved, a lot is still to be done

While talking about the infrastructure like roads, railways, Metro etc. In India, the Minister said that it is true we are not of a global standard. However, we are improving quickly. He mentioned the multi-modal station worth Rs.1,200 crore in Nagpur that is designed by an American Architect. He said, “It will be among the five best railway stations in the world. So, things have begun to happen slowly.”

Gadkari discussed his plan to involve private players in Metro infrastructure in Nagpur. He said the cost of building the Metro in Nagpur, Pune and Delhi is Rs.350 crore per KM. The one he has proposed will cost Rs.5 crore per KM (the Nagpur broad gauge Metro) which will use the existing railway stations and lines and signals. The broad-gauge six-coach Metro will run at a speed of 160 kmph. All permissions have already been taken. Out of six coaches, three will have motors, and they will cost Rs. 8 crores. The coaches without a motor will cost Rs.4 crore. Additional coach to carry luggage will also be included.

Gadkari mentioned that it takes around two-and-half hours to reach Amravati from Nagpur. Metro will cover the distance in one hour and 15 minutes. It will have both business and economy class matching the global standards. He said that he is also holding meetings with the Metro team and Vidarbha Industries Association in coming days. He has also invited travel and tourism companies for the meeting.

If the project becomes popular people will prefer Metro over road transport, and it will become the first public-private investment for Nagpur. As the system will use the already-existing broad gauge, the cost will be much less. Some of the undergoing projects in India are first in the world.

The farmers’ protests

While talking about the ongoing farmer’s protests in the national capital for over a month, Gadkari said that India has surplus grains. There was a time when India had a shortage of food grain, but at this time, we have around 280 lakh tons of rice in the godowns, which is sufficient to feed the entire world. The MSP is much higher compared to the market price, which, according to Gadkari, is another problem.

He said that last year we exported 60 lakh tons of sugar with a subsidy of Rs.600 crore. While the price of sugar in the international market is Rs.22 per KG, the government paid Rs.34 per KG for the sugarcane. This price difference is the problem. He mentioned that he has been talking about producing ethanol from the surplus food grains, but the permissions were not granted.

At present India is importing fuel worth Rs.8 lakh crore. One ton of rice can be converted to 480 liters of ethanol, and one ton of corn can produce 280 liters of ethanol. If the permissions are given for the production of ethanol, the economy in Bihar and UP will change drastically. The sugarcane juice and molasses will be used to produce ethanol instead of sugar.

Gadkari said that he has launched scooters and bikes by Bajaj and TVS that run on ethanol. A lot of products can be made with it, including biodegradable bio-plastic. It can help in increasing farmers’ income and substantially reduce pollution. The money that India spends on importing fuel can remain in India and bring more profit to the farmers.

Gadkari said that the Indian government is working for the benefit of the farmers and increasing MSP every year. He said it is sad to see Akali Dal left alliance over the laws that were already discussed in the parliament in June. The government is ready to talk and making all efforts to resolve the situation, and hopefully, it will get resolved soon. 

Support for MSMEs

Gadkari said that in May, Rs.3 lakh crore were sanctioned for collateral-free loans for MSMEs. 2 lakh crore have already been sanctioned and disbursement of the loans stands between Rs.1.6 lakh crore to 1.8 lakh crore. He had requested the Finance Minister to give more relaxation in the scheme. He said as urban cooperative banks and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) have also financed MSMEs, they must be brought under the scheme that will further help the sector.

As of now, the government has granted Rs.20,000 crore for distressed MSMEs. Around six lakh MSMEs’ debt was restructured under it. Rs.50,000 crores of equity support was provided for MSMEs under ‘fund for funds’ scheme, and it is under process. Those MSMEs that have good export turnover, tax return, GST and bank records will be able to tap the capital market. The government will provide them with 15 percent equity infusion and rest they can get from the market.

The government has also launched a portal called ‘Champion’ for addressing problems raised by MSMEs. As MSMEs account for 48% of the exports of India and have a 30% contribution in GDP, the government is taking all steps to help them revive and flourish. The aim is to improve export percentage to 60% and GDP contribution to 40% in the coming years. The MSMEs sector provides 11 crore jobs at the moment and will be able to provide five crores more jobs with an improved flow of liquidity, he asserted.

‘Jack Ma will either be jailed or end up dead’: A prediction from 2019 that has gained great relevance as the Chinese billionaire disappears

OpIndia Staff
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‘Jack Ma will either be jailed or end up dead’: A prediction from 2019 that has gained great relevance as the Chinese billionaire disappears

There was a prediction made in 2019 by a Chinese billionaire about Alibaba founder Jack Ma. Guo Wengui fled China as a fugitive in 2014 and in August 2019 predicted that Jack Ma would either be jailed or end up dead. The reason for such a prediction was that Wengui believed the Chinese government wanted to “take back” Ma’s ANT Group.

At the time, the prediction might have appeared too paranoid but in light of recent events, it does not sound too far-fetched. Jack Ma has reportedly disappeared from the African talent show that he created and was replaced by an Alibaba Executive. A spokesperson claimed “Due to a schedule conflict Mr Ma could no longer be part of the finale judge panel of Africa’s Business Heroes earlier this year (2020)”.

But the Chinese billionaire has not made an appearance in public in two months. And it is suspected that his disappearance is connected with his criticism of the financial regulators in the country. He described the regulators as a ‘pawnshop’ and an ‘old people’s club’. “Today’s financial system is the legacy of the Industrial Age. We must set up a new one for the next generation and young people. We must reform the current system,” Jack Ma said in a speech on October 24.

Following the comments, an antitrust investigation was initiated against the Alibaba Group Holding. Ma’s financial tech company Ant Group was also ordered to scale back its operations. In November, the blockbuster initial public offering of his Ant Group worth $37 billion was suspended under direct orders from Xi Jinping.

Jack Ma was also ordered to not leave the country. The antitrust investigation against his company wiped out $10 billion from his wealth. The ANT Group was ordered to redress the company’s insurance, lending, and wealth management services. The ANT Group, for its part, said that they will comply with the directives. “The rectification is an opportunity for Ant Group to strengthen the foundation for our business to grow with full compliance, and to continue focusing on innovating for social good and serving small businesses,” it said in a statement.

Observers say that such developments point towards the fact that China’s tech giants are under the radar of the Communist regime. “There is a wave of similar signals showing that China’s tech giants are staying on the radar of authorities. The anti-monopoly drafted guidance and antitrust review are just two of those signals,” said Bruce Pang, head of macro and strategy research at China Renaissance Securities Hong Kong.

Since the government investigations into the company, there has been a perceptible shift in public sentiment regarding Jack Ma. While he was earlier glorified and lionized, now he is being labelled a “villain”, an “evil capitalist” and a “bloodsucking ghost”. The businessmen has attracted comments against himself along the lines of “Workers of the world, unite!”

Meanwhile, capturing the anti-rich sentiment prevailing in the country, comments such as “An outstanding people’s billionaire like Jack Ma will definitely be hanged on top of the lamppost” are being ‘liked’ and retweeted hundreds and thousands of times on Chinese social media platforms. The Chinese government, on the other hand, is fueling such sentiments in part through its actions and taking advantage of it at the same to curtail the power of such tech giants.

It is no great surprise that China is looking to cut down the power the emerging tech giants could wield. There have been clamour in the United States of America as well to check the unparalleled power of Amazon, Google, Facebook, Twitter among other giants. There is bipartisan consensus in the USA as well that such tech giants operate as monopolies and there was a recent Congressional hearing on the matter.

Under such circumstances, it is not a surprise that similar sentiments exist in China as well where the government has much greater powers to solve such crisis. But pro-market forces in China fear, and with good reason, that the country could be moving back to a time when the CCP was a lot less tolerant towards capitalists.

Alibaba is touted to be the world’s largest e-commerce company with billions of dollars in turnover. Jack Ma was once Asia’s richest man before his wealth dwindled following action by the Chinese government and he has stumbled in the list of the world’s richest man.

China, under President Xi Jinping, has been ruthless against its critics and has arrested numerous dissidents of the regime. In March a property tycoon had disappeared after he called President Xi Jinping a ‘clown’ for his handling of the coronavirus crisis. Ren Zhiqiang a billionaire financier, was sentenced to 18 years in prison after he ‘voluntarily and truthfully confessed’ to various crimes of corruption. Similarly, Xian Jianhua, a billionaire financier, was snatched from a Hong Kong hotel in 2017 and taken to the mainland. 

West Bengal: BJP’s Krishnendu Mukherjee survives attack by gunmen, blames TMC

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: BJP’s Krishnendu Mukherjee survives attack by gunmen, blames TMC

Days after newly inducted BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was targeted by Trinamool Congress workers, another BJP leader, Krishnendu Mukherjee, narrowly escaped an onslaught of bullets in Asansol, West Bengal.

As per reports, the incident took place on Sunday night when three unidentified men, allegedly from the TMC, open fired at the BJP leader’s convoy near his residence in Hirapur in Asansol. According to Mukherjee, he was returning home from Kolkata and had stopped his car outside his residence. When his driver stepped out to open the gate, three armed gunmen fired bullets at his car, the marks of which are clearly visible on the vehicle.

The BJP leader narrated that he locked himself inside the car, which failed their attempts to break open the door. Mukherjee said that he kept on pressing the horn to alert his neighbours. When the driver alerted the family, the family began screaming from inside the house. The gunmen had no option but to flee the crime scene. His claims are validated by the CCTV footage, which showed one of the gunmen running away from the car.

(Video Courtesy: Youtube/ Zee 24 Ghanta)

Reportedly, a complaint has been filed with the Hirapur police station and an investigation has been initiated into the case. However, no accused have been arrested so far. Mukherjee informed that he has apprised senior BJP leaders about the possible assassination attempt.

Political reactions on the incident

While accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress of masterminding the attack, he said, “This is a political conspiracy to eliminate me, by miscreants belonging to the TMC. They know that my existence is a threat to their consistent attempts at striking terror in Asansol.”

BJP West Bengal chief Dilip Ghosh, said, “There was a fear that such an attack might be carried out against Krishnendu. Following his arrival, the political equation in Asansol has changed.” He further added that the West Bengal government had released several hardened criminals from jail to execute such attacks where the BJP have been spearheading a movement for change.

While dismissing the charges levelled against the party, TMC MLA Tapas Banerjee claimed that Krishnendu Mukherjee had been involved in murder, smuggling and extortion and the incident was a ‘fall-out’ with his old rivals. “We do not keep miscreants in our party”, he told Zee 24 Ghanta.

Suvendu Adhikari attacked by TMC goons in Nandigram 

Last month, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and other BJP party workers were attacked allegedly by TMC goons in Nandigram in East Midnapore, on their way to Janakinath Temple from Tenga. As per reports, Adhikari had set foot in Nandigram for the first time after defecting to the BJP from the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Although he was en route an apolitical programme, several BJP supporters had flocked to welcome him in Nandigram. BJP workers had arrived in buses and cars to commemorate the event. However, at the Bhuto junction, Suvendu Adhikari and party workers came under attack allegedly from the TMC goons. While targeting Adhikari, the miscreants threw rocks and stones at him and his supporters.

During the attack, a bus carrying BJP workers was also vandalised. Several people, including a girl child, sustained head injuries. They were then taken to the Nandigram Hospital for medical treatment. According to Suvendu Adhikari, a total of 10 people were injured during the attack. BJP has also informed that they are unable to trace some of their workers, post the ambush.

Muslim ruffians allegedly associated with Maha cabinet minister accused of encroaching Hindu houses in Mumbai’s Malwani: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Muslim ruffians allegedly associated with Maha cabinet minister accused of encroaching Hindu houses in Mumbai’s Malwani: Details

Something akin to Kashmiri Pandit exodus from Jammu and Kashmir in the 1990s and more recently the Kairana exodus of minority Hindus is underway at the Mumbai suburb of Malwani, Malad. Hindus, including many belonging to the SC/ST category, have been targeted by the Muslim ruffians in the neighbourhood, forcing them to flee the place they have been calling their homes for decades.

In Mumbai’s Malwani, a Muslim majority region, the Hindu minority is constantly threatened and intimidated by the Muslim hooligans to force them into leaving their homes and lands. From once having more than 100 Hindu families, the locality now houses a mere 8-10 Hindu families and even they are planning to leave the area for the fear of persecution from the Muslim thugs.

According to the residents of the region, the goons enjoy political patronage from the local Congress MLA Aslam Shaikh, who is also a cabinet minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Allegedly, emboldened by their leader’s support, the Muslim hooligans have unabatedly encroached their lands and built madrassas and dargahs on government lands, the victims’ claim.

Damage roof of a victim’s house in Malwani

The victims also asserted that the police have so far not taken any credible action against the culprits despite a number of FIRs filed in connection with the unlawful encroachment of their houses by the Muslim thugs. Besides appropriating their houses, the victims alleged that the Muslim goons were also responsible for rampant drug peddling, unauthorised constructions and other illegal activities in their neighbourhood.

Mumbai BJP President Mangal Prabhat Lodha visits victims of oppression by Muslim goons in Malwani

BJP Mumbai President Mangal Prabhat Lodha took cognisance of the plight of the Hindu minority in Malwani and paid a visit to the region yesterday. Lodha, along with other local BJP leaders, met with the residents of the area and took stock of the situation.

Lodha said that the condition of the Hindus, including Dalit victims, in Malwani is similar to what happened to Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir in the early 1990s. He also urged the local administration and police officials to shun favouritism and act impartially against the perpetrators for coercing the Dalit minorities into vacating their houses.

BJP leaders meet the victims of encroachment by Muslim thugs in Malwani, Malad

Lodha took to Twitter to inform about his visit to Malwani on Sunday.

Muslim goons enjoy support from local MLA and Maha cabinet minister Aslam Shaikh: BJP Mandal President Sunil Koli

Following the visit of Lodha to Malwani, OpIndia got in touch with Mandal President Sunil Koli, who spoke about the travails faced by the Hindus and Dalits in the Muslim-dominated region of Malwani. Koli stated that the Muslim goons who are threatening Dalits to leave the place, enjoy support from the local leader and Maharashtra cabinet minister Aslam Shaikh.

“These Muslim goons who go around threatening people to vacate their houses and land and pressurise them into selling them at nominal rates operate under the tutelage of local MLA Aslam Sheikh. They have their photos printed below Shaikh’s picture on big hoardings across the area. They are strengthening Muslim vote-bank for their leader by forcing others to leave,” Koli said.

The leader also alleged that once upon a time more than 100 Hindu families lived in the area but now only 8-10 Hindu families exist. Most of have them fled the place after being threatened by the Muslim hoodlums. He also added that now the focus of Muslim goons have shifted to Dalit families living in the region and they are being subjected to similar kind of threats and intimidation as witnessed by the Hindu families.

BJP Mumbai President Mangal Prabhat Lodha visits Malad and Malwani

Madrassas and Muslim shrines illegally built on Maharashtra government-owned land: Sunil Koli

“The Muslims goons have illegally occupied the houses of Hindus in chawl no. 7 behind the Bhaji Market. They are now harassing Dalits to vacate the place. Their houses are being attacked. Their women are being molested,” Koli said.

Koli further added that unauthorised madrassas and dargahs have sprung up at a number of places in Malwani. He stated that these madrassas and dargahs were built on the land owned by the Maharashtra government.

“Another important point to be noted here is the sudden emergence of several unsanctioned madrassas and dargahs in these chawls that are under the jurisdiction of Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority(MHADA). A dargah and a madrassa have come up in chawl no. 5 in Chheda complex,” Koli said.

Speaking on the further course of action to be taken by the BJP, Koli informed us that they have given an ultimatum to the police officials to initiate action in the matter and submit them a report of the same to them by January 15. If the police fail in addressing the grievances of the victims, the saffron party would hit the roads and protest against the harassment of Dalits at the hands of the Muslim thugs in the region, he added.

Why tasteless jokes on Hindu gods feel not like free speech, but colonialism

Abhishek Banerjee
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Why tasteless jokes on Hindu gods feel not like free speech, but colonialism

After the arrest of a comedian in Indore the other day, Indian liberals are asking their favourite question all over again. Why do Hindus these days have no chill? Why can’t they just take a joke? And what about free speech?

Funny that the question of free speech never comes up when other religions are involved. In 2012, Catholic organizations had demanded the resignation of censor board Chief because they had approved a movie showing a Catholic priest in poor light. They had also demanded a permanent representative from the community to sit on the censor board to avoid such incidents in the future.

Just think about it. A movie should be censored because it showed a Catholic priest in poor light? The scheming Hindu priest is a Bollywood staple. Without it, an entire genre of movies and their plots would come to an end. Why not the same standards for everyone in public discourse?

I know what liberals are going to say. Don’t do “whataboutism.” In any case, two wrongs would not make a right. Let us examine this further with an illustrative example.

Let me ask you this question: Is it ‘wrong’ to buy a shirt that is made in the UK?

Of course not. But imagine this conversation between a British imperialist and an Indian subject back in 1921:

Indian : I want to stop you from selling shirts in India.

Brit: That’s so unfair. It is against the idea of free trade.

Indian: But you don’t let me negotiate trade terms with you, set our own tariffs and trade with whoever we want.

Brit: Now, now, that is a completely separate issue. Don’t do whataboutism.

Everyone can see the problem here. Indeed, free speech is just like free trade. It has to be a two-way street to have any value. When you close both streets, it becomes like Communism. When you allow only one-way traffic, it becomes like colonialism.

I cannot speak for all Hindus, but I do know why more and more Hindus are getting angry about slights to Hindu gods. It is because they have figured out by now that free speech in India is not set up for the free exchange of ideas. We all know the consequences of mocking any religion other than Hinduism. For a certain religion, the consequences can be so terrifying that I dare not even name that religion in this article. Whether left-wing or right-wing, we all know which one it is.

This double standard has been out there in the open for decades. And you can’t hide it any more. “One-sided free speech” feels like bullying because it is bullying. One-sided free speech is like one-sided free trade. It is not a form of free trade at all. It is colonialism.

So when it comes to the matter of alleged comedians insulting Hindu gods, free speech is not even on the table. It would be great if we had free speech, but we have never had it. The only question here is whether Hindus will continue to put up with the bullying.

The Indian state provides a legal route to address such grievances. You can get people into trouble for “hurting religious sentiments.” For 70 years, the privileged religious groups have used these provisions to insulate themselves from all forms of criticism. Now, more and more Hindus want to use this provision of law. Who can blame them?

Delhi: Absconding Bilal Malik had hired men to kill ex-girlfriend and her mother, arrested after a month

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi: Absconding Bilal Malik had hired men to kill ex-girlfriend and her mother, arrested after a month

In a major breakthrough, the Delhi police have arrested 27-year-old Bilal Malik and his three other accomplices for the gruesome murder of a woman at Mansarovar Park in Northeast Delhi in November, as per a report in Times of India.

As per reports, Bilal was in a relationship with a girl named Mehad. However, he had concealed the fact from her that he was already married. When Mehad learnt about the truth in August last year, she broke all ties with Bilal. However, he became obsessed with her and continued to insist on marriage. But Mehad turned down all his requests. A disenchanted Bilal then sought the help of three people, namely, Abdul Salam, Sahil and Kamil and offered them ₹4 lacs to kill her.

On November 30, Bilal went to the residence of Mehad, and his accomplices, in Mansarovar Park and insisted that he wanted to marry her. The accused also vowed to divorce his current wife. But, when Mehad rejected the marriage proposal, his aides open fired at the girl and her mother Shama Khan. While Shama was killed, Mehad sustained critical injuries. On being informed, the police reached the crime spot and rushed Mehad to a hospital for further medical treatment.

The hunt for Bilal Malik

Bilal and his hired gunmen were absconding ever since the incident. Although the police conducted raids at several hideouts, they were unable to trace him. The cops had registered a case based on Mehad’s statement. After a month from the incident, the police received a tip-off that Bilal could be found at Bhopura road area near Loni in Ghaziabad. As such, the police laid down a trap and was successful in arresting Bilal. They had also recovered a pistol and five bullets.

Bilal had past criminal record

During interrogation, the accused revealed the location of his accomplices, whom the cops apprehended from Chandpur near Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh. It has now come to light that Bilal, a resident of Nand Nagri, had earlier been involved in theft and possession of illegal firearms. He had met his co-accused while attending a relative’s marriage and soon became friends. One of his accomplices, Abdul Salam has a murder case lodged against him in Seelampur in 2006. The other two accused, Sahil and Kamil had no past record.

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