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.
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.
#Breaking | 224 ex-IAS officers write in support of the anti-conversion law brought forth by Uttar Pradesh Govt.
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.
Listen in to Yogendra Narain, one of the signatories of the group of former IAS officers who wrote in support of the anti-conversion law brought forth by Uttar Pradesh Govt. pic.twitter.com/eAkRzknHKy
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
अवैध निर्माण, ड्रग पैडलर जैसी अनेक समस्याएं भी उभर कर आ रही है, इन सब मे हमारे दलित बंधुओं को जो पीड़ा हो रही हैं, उनमें दहशत पैदा करने का प्रयास किया जा रहा है, उसका तुरंत समाधान स्थानिक प्रशासन करे, एवं पुलिस दल पक्षपात किए बिना उन्हें सुरक्षा प्रदान करें। 2/2 pic.twitter.com/iFtvVElccU
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 harassingDalitsto 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.
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?
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.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) initiated an inspection into two children homes, Umeed Aman Home for Boys and Khushi Rainbow Home for Girls, in South Delhi established by Centre for Equity Studies on the basis of a complaint received regarding a violation of the Juvenile Justice Act. Consequently, two teams were established by the NCPCR led by the Chairperson himself to investigate the matter. Harsh Mander is the director of CES, according to NCPCR.
The two homes were inspected on the 1st of October, 2020. Furthermore, the NCPCR was also aware of a case of child sexual abuse at Umeed Aman Ghar which is run by the Aman Biradari Trust according to NCPCR. The Aman Biradari Trust was founded by none other than Harsh Mander, former member of Sonia Gandhi’s National Advisory Council (NAC) and a member of an organisation with links to the Italian Secret Service and the Italian Government.
The NCPCR notes, “It was informed by the Former Member (of the NCPCR) that the said complaint was received in the Commission in 2012 but the matter was not dealt adequately at that time and that the same is required to be looked into in light of present complaint that has been received by the Commission.”
The NCPCR during its visit discovered that numerous norms and regulations were flouted at these homes. Covid norms and social distancing were not observed and apart from these, there were other serious violations.
Umeed Aman Ghar for Boys
The Child Care Institution registration was not renewed. There was no adequate counselor, cook or helper available. There were no records of recruitment of each staff, or work profile, and no medical officer was available on call. Most worryingly, “The rooms of the Home were not segregated and there was mingling of minor children with the elder children, which made the minor children vulnerable to abuse and bullying by the elder children.”
Rules violated at Umeed Aman Ghar
The NCPCR noted that it had come to its knowledge that there were multiple cases of child sexual abuse that had occurred within the institution at 2012, 2013 and 2016. However, during the inspection, the Commission was told that there had been no case of sexual offence at the institution and neither has been any case of child rights violation reported.
The NCPCR said, “The response given by the Staff and In- charge of the Home regarding this matter has been observed to be misleading and incorrect which is a serious violation and offence.” Furthermore, the child rights body has stated that it has knowledge of sexual abuse continuing in the shelter home and yet, it was not being reported.
Child Sex Abuse at Umeed Aman Ghar
The Commission also noted that a series of contradictory statements were made in regard to child sex abuse at the institutions. After initial denial of the shelter homes, CES appears to have admitted that these cases did occur. In fact, the NCPCR cites a Delhi High Court order where the state government was directed “to take appropriate action against the Manager who had failed to report the child sexual abuse incident at that time.”
In light of such events, “the Commission has taken a serious view of the contradictory submissions made by the Centre for Equity Studies and that such concealment of facts from the NGO makes it clear that the safety and security of children in this Home is jeopardized and that the children must be shifted from this institution at the earliest.”
The NCPCR notes that the children must be shifted from Umeed Aman Ghar
The manner in which the manager was dealt with was also quite disgusting. Instead of taking stern action against the manager, he was simply moved from one home of the organisation to the other. the Department of WCD of the Delhi Government was aware of this and yet, did not take any action in this regard.
The Department of WCD (Delhi) did seek clarification regarding taking note of the fact that the action was not appropriate and yet, for some reason, no action was taken when the department did not receive a reply.
Khushi Rainbow Home for Girls
There were similar violations observed at Khushi Rainbow Home for Girls with the notable exception of child sex abuse. There were no record of recruitment of each staff, only one child welfare officer for 90 children, no classrooms, the staff residence was not as per prescribed norms. There were only 8 bathrooms for 90 children. Sanitation was a major concern and the general situation appeared to be quiet pathetic.
Violations at Khushi Rainbow Home for girls
The Funding Problem observed by NCPCR
The shelter homes for children were being funded by multiple sources. Apart from Center for Equity Studies, the Rainbow Foundation of India (RFI), the Association for Rural and Urban Needy (ARUN-India), the ‘Dil Se Campaign’ of Can Assist Society and Aman Biradari and an MoU between the CES and the Delhi Government’s Samgra Shiksha Abhiyan.
It is all a bit confusing but as per the website of ‘Can Assist’, ARUN-India is the parent organization of RFI although there does not appear to be any mention of it on the RFI’s website. There is also an admission in the Can Assist website that there is funding involved from the Delhi Government and the Aman Biradari Trust is involved as well.
The intersection of RFI, ARUN-India, Aman Biradari and Can Assist
According to the NCPCR, lakhs and lakhs of rupees were given every year to the child shelter homes every year. The Umeed Aman Ghar, particularly, received over Rs. 15 lakh in the financial year 2020-21 alone from ARUN-India. From RFI, it received over Rs. 41 lakh. Khush Rainbow Home received over Rs. 38 lakh from the RFI. And this is apart from the funding received from the Delhi Government which was well over Rs. 40 lakhs for the past couple of years for Umeed Aman Ghar.
Furthermore, the two shelter homes informed the Commission that they were receiving funds from the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DSUIB) but later, CES told NCPCR that the funds were being received from DSUIB for urban shelter Homes for Homeless adults. DSUIB also told NCPCR that no funds had been made available to these shelter homes.
The NCPCR noted, “It may be noted that while it has been stated by Centre for Equity Studies as well as DUSIB that no grants were provided to the said two Homes and that the grants were given for the shelter Homes of the NGO, the Commission had received the information of the grants received from DUSIB from these two Homes itself.”
It adds, “Further, as per the information provided by the Homes as well as DUSIB, it is seen that there is a huge discrepancy of the funds disclosed by these two Homes and the funds being granted by DUSIB. While DUSIB has stated that it has not provided any funds in the year 2020-21, the Homes have stated that they have received a grant of Rs.7,48,000/- till September 2020 for the financial year 2020-21.”
NCPCR Recommendations
The NCPCR recommended that the Departments of WCD and Education of the Government of Delhi take serious view of the matter and initiate an investigation into the serious lapses and violations at the two shelter homes. The NCPCR also recommended that an investigation also be carried out against the inspection officials so as to comprehend how were these glaring flaws ignored for so long.
In addition, the NCPCR has also recommended that Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police investigate the multiple sources of funding of these shelter homes and the Ministry of Home Affairs has also been urged to investigate possible FCRA violations. It was also noted that foreign nationals had visited these homes for “voluntary service”, the NCPCR urged the Home Ministry to investigate whether any VISA violations had been committed.
