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Hindu activist who handed over Munawar Faruqui to police after his ‘comedy show’ insulting Hindu Gods explains why he did it: Watch

OpIndia Staff
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Hindu activist who handed over Munawar Faruqui to police after his ‘comedy show’ insulting Hindu Gods explains why he did it: Watch

“Munawar Faruqui is a serial offender”, said a member of Hindu Rakshak Sangathan, while speaking to the media today. This is the same Hindu organisation whose supporters had handed over the ‘comedian’ to the police yesterday, after his programme in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, where he made some extremely derisive remarks against Hindu deities and HM Amit Shah. Aklavya Singh Gaur, who is also a BJYM member, has taken to Twitter to share his official statement on the incident.

Aklavya said that Munawar Faruqui has a contentious past and previously on various occasions, he has mocked Hindu God and Goddesses. The Hindu activist said that Faruqui has also in the past, tried to downplay the 2002 Godhra carnage where 58 Hindus returning from Ayodhya were burnt alive by a Muslim mob. He has insulted union minister Amit Shah by insinuating that he was behind the carnage. Aklavya added that because of Faruqui’s predisposition to mock Hindu deities one of his programs in Jaipur had been earlier cancelled.

The activist added that he and few other supporters of the Hindu organisation were aware that a programme was scheduled to happen in the Monroe Cafe near 56 Dukaan in Indore on that date, so they bought the tickets and went to see the program.

As expected, Munawar Faruqui made extremely disparaging remarks about Hindu Gods and Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the programme, said Aklavya, confirming that they recorded all the crass, anti-Hindu comments made by Farqui as evidence. He furthers that they stopped the show and requested the audiences to leave. Thereafter the leaders of a rights group caught all the comedians along with the organisers and took them to Tukoganj police station.

He told the media that the organisers did not seek permission for the comedy show in advance. Moreover, no COVID protocols were maintained. Over 100 odd people were stuffed in that small room, that too most of them without masks. Aklavya said that they have appealed that strict action is taken against Faruqui and others, that too under non-bailable charges.

A purported video of the incident had gone viral on social media where supporters of the Hindu Rakshak Sangathan were seen leading the ‘comedian’ out of the Monroe Cafe near 56 Dukaan in Indore, where the purported program was held on Friday.

Meanwhile police have started investigating the case. They informed that Monroe cafe owner, Muktas Jain, did not seek permission for the comedy show in advance and that underage children were also present during the show.

Munawar Faruqui on 2002 Godhra Carnage, Amit Shah and Hindu Gods

During a show in April last year, Munawar Faruqui mocked the 2002 Godhra carnage. In a part of the clip that had gone viral on social media, one can hear him refer to the carnage as a fictional film ‘directed’ by Amit Shah and ‘produced’ by RSS.

Following this, a complaint was filed with Mumbai Police against him for hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus.

‘We’ll kill ourselves if our daughter is not given back’: Read the sordid tale of Miza Kumari who was abducted, raped and converted in Pakistan

OpIndia Staff
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‘We’ll kill ourselves if our daughter is not given back’: Read the sordid tale of Miza Kumari who was abducted, raped and converted in Pakistan

Despite the hefty claims made by Imran Khan-led government on the safety and security of the minority communities in his ‘Naya Pakistan’, reports on religious persecution and atrocities committed on Hindus, Sikhs and Christians in our neighbouring country continues to pour in. Only yesterday, Pakistani Human rights activist Rahat Austin took to Twitter to share details of a Hindu girl named Miza Kumari, the daughter of Rattan Lal who was abducted, raped and forcefully converted to Islam to marry a Muslim man in Bahu Bhati village in Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan.

The activist shared a video in which the girl’s parents, who belong to an extremely humble background are heard pleading for help. We’ll kill ourselves if our daughter is not given back. We are poor, we can’t fight with culprits, no one is helping us in Pakistan. We request, who watching this video to help us”, said the distraught mother of Miza Kumari in the video message.

Divulging other details of the case, Rahat Austin in his subsequent Tweet wrote that the Pakistan authorities, instead of helping the devastated parents of the girl who has been missing since she was abducted on August 27, 2020, have registered a false case against Rattan Lal (the victim’s father).

Rahat Austin further informs that though the girl was forcefully converted on September 2, 2020, the conversion certificate and the marriage certificate both were fake.

Firstly, the conversion and marriage certificate mentioned that the girl was a Christian, but she is actually a Hindu. Since the certificates had wrong credentials, Rahat Austin contended that the conversion and marriage both were invalid. Secondly, the marriage was solemnised on September 1, 2020, a day before the girl was converted. According to orthodox Islamic laws, a Muslim man is prohibited to marry a non-Muslim until the latter converts to Islam, therefore technically this marriage was void, said Rahat Austin.

Sharing the details of this case, Rahat Austin once again brings to fore the ongoing egregious violations of human rights in the terror state of Pakistan and highlights the apathy shown by the authorities to penalize extremists or those targeting religious minorities.

Tamil Nadu: Cops arrest Christian pastor after corpse of female constable was kept in house for over 20 days in hopes of ‘resurrection’

OpIndia Staff
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Tamil Nadu: Cops arrest Christian pastor after corpse of female constable was kept in house for over 20 days in hopes of ‘resurrection’

The Dindigul police have arrested two people, including a Christian pastor named Sudarsanam, on Thursday in connection to the death of a 38-year-old female police constable named Annai Indra.

As per reports, the woman was a police constable at the All Women Police Station in Dindigul. She was married to a man named Palraj, who lived in Pattiveeranpatti. Two years ago, they had separated as her husband was opposed to her idea of converting to Christianity. As a result, she had deserted him and started living on rent in Nandavanapatti Treasury Colony with her two daughters, sister Vasuki and pastor Sudarshanam.

A couple of months ago, Indra applied for voluntary retirement, owing to ‘health reasons’. She had gone on a long leave since November 16. When the cops went to serve her order on Wednesday, they discovered a foul smell at the house. On further probe, following the directions of senior officers, the cops found the decaying body of Indra. She had died on December 7 and her decomposed body was covered with a cloth.

She is asleep, claimed family members of Indra

As bizarre as it sounds, her sister and daughters insisted that Indra was asleep and that she would wake up soon. Her family reportedly kept her corpse in the house under the belief that she would magically ‘resurrect’ from the dead.

The police initiated an investigation into the case and conducted the post-mortem on the spot. The cops booked pastor Sudarsanam and the woman’s sister Vasuki under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 176 (Omission to give notice or information to public servant), 304A (causing death by negligence), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating). Pastor Sudarsanam who has been arrested is suspected to be the brain behind the conversion.

While the investigation is on, the body was sent to the Government Hospital for post-mortem.

Chinese Billionaire Jack Ma disappears from public after criticising the government and President Xi Jinping

OpIndia Staff
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Chinese Billionaire Jack Ma disappears from public after criticising the government and President Xi Jinping

In a strange incident, the Chinese billionaire Jack Ma has reportedly disappeared from the African talent show that he created, signalling the increasing difficulty he is facing currently for taking on Chinese President Xi Jinping.

According to the reports, Jack Ma was replaced as a judge in the final of Africa’s Business Heroes, a television contest for budding entrepreneurs and his photograph was removed from the judging webpage. Apparently, he has also been conspicuously left out of a promotional video.

The grand finale of show ‘Africa’s Business Heroes’ took place in November, shortly after the Chinese tech billionaire had criticised China’s regulators and its state-owned banks.

Following his speech, the Communist Party of China had reacted strongly against Jack Ma’s statements, leading to the suspension of Jack Ma’s $37bn initial public offering of his company Ant Group by the Chinese authorities. Following the suspension of the IPO, Jack Ma has not made any public appearance. The authorities have also announced anti-monopoly investigations into Alibaba.

Amidst action by Chinese authorities, Jack Ma is replaced by Lucy Peng

A spokesperson for Alibaba, which was founded by Ma, said, “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)”. However, this explanation is not believed by several. It is unthinkable that he would give up on a program of which he was the face due to a scheduling conflict.

As Syed Akbaruddin observed, this is like Amitabh Bachchan not hosting Kaun Banega Crorepati due to a ‘scheduling conflict’, indicating that there was more to Ma’s absence than meets the eye.

One of the contestants participating in the competition had said she had been star-struck when she pitched her business to Ma in an earlier round. “You can’t imagine,” she said. 

However, by the time of the final, Ma had been replaced by Lucy Peng, an executive at Alibaba. “There was something going on in China with Jack Ma or something, so (Lucy) also came in as well,” the contestant said.

Jack Ma’s souring relationship with the Chinese govt

The 56-year-old Jack Ma was once a poster boy for the communist regime, however, the relationship turned sour after he became more vocal against Chinese leadership. Ma is said to have made around £35billion from creating Alibaba, the Asian version of Amazon.

Despite being one of China’s most successful businessmen, Ma has been clashing with the regime over his call for more of an open and market-driven economy. The English teacher turned business magnate is viewed as a rock star in the country that has pushed the Chinese leadership to be fearful about the billionaire’s influence.

China, under President Xi Jinping, has been ruthless against its critics and has unleashed a drive to arrest all the 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. 

After begging Shiv Sena and NCP for forgiveness, disgraced comedian claims ‘this govt’ is afraid of clowns

OpIndia Staff
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After begging Shiv Sena and NCP for forgiveness, disgraced comedian claims ‘this govt’ is afraid of clowns

Agrima Kaur Khan, who until recently was known as Agrima Joshua, has issued another statement weeks after begging profusely for forgiveness from the Shiv Sena, the MNS and the NCP during the controversy she was involved in after mocking the Chhatrapati Shivaji Memorial in Maharashtra. Her latest statement was made in response to the arrest of ‘comedian’ Munawar Faruqui.

Agrima Joshua said, “Comedian Munawar Farooqi is in jail at Tukoganj Police station in Indore. This Government is afraid of clowns. That’s how fragile their narrative is.”

Agrima’s comment on Munawar Faruqui

It is pertinent to mention here that Agrima Joshua had profusely apologized to the NCP, Shiv Sena, the Congress party and the MNS after the studio where she delivered the controversial joke was vandalized by MNS workers. Demands of her arrest were also made on social media after her video went viral. Even when she was trolled by Shiv Sainiks, Agrima claimed that she was being targeted by BJP workers in the guise of Shiv Sena. This was before she ultimately apologized to the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance.

Now that the Munawar Faruqui is not being troubled by one of her favoured parties, it appears that Agrima Joshua has found her voice again. Faruqui is in the news after he was allegedly roughed up for making disparaging remarks about Hindu Gods and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He was then taken to Tukoganj police station along with the organisers.

Amusingly enough, it has not been a good day for Agrima Joshua herself. Kashmiri separatists took offence at one of her jokes which insulted the Indian Army because it, apparently, trivialized their ‘struggle’. She was called out for being insensitive and ‘dumb’. Later, the organizers of her show apologized for the jokes.

‘Temples are not allowed in Islamic country’: Islamist Zakir Naik hails Pakistani mob burning Krishna Temple to the ground, say reports

OpIndia Staff
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‘Temples are not allowed in Islamic country’: Islamist Zakir Naik hails Pakistani mob burning Krishna Temple to the ground, say reports

Islamist hate preacher Zakir Naik in his latest video has supported the torching and destruction of the ancient Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stating that temples should not be allowed to be constructed in an Islamic country.

The endorsement from the radical Islamist preacher came days after the historic Krishna Dwara temple was razed down and set ablaze by a frenzied mob of hundreds of people led by local Muslim clerics from radical Islamist party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam.

It is also worth noting that Naik’s rants against the Hindu temple comes on the heels of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Mahmood Khan said on Friday that his government will rebuild the Hindu temple using provincial government funds.

Islamist fanatics raze down the temple in Pakistan

Videos circulating on social media showed several Islamists using hammers to damage the temple walls of the recently constructed Krishna Dwara temple, situated in Karak’s Teri union council. The fanatics who were led by a local cleric and supporters of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party (Fazal ur Rehman group) set fire to the building, then razed it down with hammers and crude weapons. The video which went viral on social media showed how the miscreants surrounded and vandalised the temple for hours.

Notably, the temple was demolished allegedly in the presence of district administration officials.

Reportedly, the temple was built after Guru Shri Paramhans Dayal was laid to rest at the site in July 1919. However, the Muslim residents of the area had closed the temple after the Partition in 1947. The temple was destroyed under similar circumstances in 1997 as well. In 2015, the Krishna Dwara temple was restored on the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Rohit Kumar, an advocate and the Hindu activist said the residents violated the agreement by vandalising the temple. Earlier, Hindus and the Muslims of the village had signed an agreement on December 22 agreeing that the renovation of the temple would not exceed the specified area.

However, the Muslim residents of the area had alleged that that the Hindu community was illegally expanding the temple building. They said the matter was reported to the police too.

According to the Muslims, as police did not take action against the Hindus, they themselves took the law into their hands and demolished the temple.

On Friday, India formally lodged a protest against the wanton and malicious destruction of Hindu temple by several Islamic fanatics in Pakistan’s Terri village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on December 30. Concerns were conveyed to Pakistan through diplomatic channels.

Constructing a Hindu temple in an Islamic state is ‘haram’: Zakir Naik

While Zakir Naik backed the demolition of the Hindu temple in Pakistan, this is not the first time that the Islamist hate speech peddler has spread venom against constructing Hindu temples.

Earlier in July 2020, Naik had voiced his discontent with the Pakistani government for allowing the construction of a Hindu temple. Naik said that the Imran Khan government has committed a sin, as it is haram (forbidden) according to Sharia (Islamic law) for an Islamic nation to pay or donate to a worship house of a non-Muslim, be it a temple or a church.

Speaking at a live session on his Islamic YouTube channel, BelievingBeings, the terror influencer, who fled India to Malaysia in 2016, said that all Muslim scholars, imams and ulemas stood united in their views that “a Muslim cannot donate, support or construct a house of worship of non-Muslims”, and by using Muslim taxpayers money to fund the Krishna temple in Islamabad, Pakistan is committing shirk (sin).

To buttress his claim, Naik stated that all Muslim scholars, imams and ulemas are of the same opinion and there are several fatwas (rulings) regarding this. He further added that the Quran, the holy book of the Muslims also discourages cooperation “in sins and transgressions”, therefore, if any Muslim associates with the building of any non-Muslim worship place, he is committing a sin.

IT dept launches probe against Music label Speed Records, actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh for allegedly routing foreign money to finance farmer protests

OpIndia Staff
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IT dept launches probe against Music label Speed Records, actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh for allegedly routing foreign money to finance farmer protests

Taking cognisance of a complaint filed by the Legal Rights Observatory (LRO), the Income Tax department has launched an inquiry over the funds allegedly routed by actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh from the UK/Canada for bankrolling the ongoing farmers’ protest in India.

Besides Dosanjh, the role of Punjabi music label Speed Records in financing the farmers’ agitation has also been under the scanner of the Income Tax department.

A complaint was lodged by Legal Rights Observatory (LRO) on December 27, based on the research shared by one Vijay Patel who had alleged that a company named Speed Records has been prudently involving in money laundering and routing activities and funding anti-farmer law agitations and its links with pro-Khalistani organisation Khalsa Aid.

LRO Complaint alleges Speed Records kept registering and disbanding itself under various names

It has been alleged by the LRO in its complaint that Speed Records has been registering itself on and off from the year 2011 to 2020, under various names, but either with the same address registered or same personnel operating as office bearers, indulging in suspicious activities detrimental to Indian interests, involving Indians too in activities such as anti-CAA riots as well as farmers’ agitation.

“It is to be noted that the curious case of this vanishing companies and bobbing up of its office bearers in subsequent in later companies show an elaborate network established with a well-thought-of stratagem to hoodwink Governmental Authorities there and also facilitate convenient mode for funding and supporting anti-national and secessionist activities in India,” the complaint filed by LRO said.

A private limited company named Speed Records, UK was incorporated with UK Director Kaka Singh Mohanwalia alias Sundip Singh Khakh, which was a dormant company. One Mr Dinesh Auluck who is the owner of Speed Records India resigned from his office on 5 August 2013 just a month after the establishment of the company. The company was later dissolved on 9th September 2014.

Similar irregularities were also witnessed in other shell companies put up by suspected individuals. Another company with the name Speed UK Recs Ltd was incorporated on 21st June 2013. The same Mr Dinesh Auluck joined this company on 8th July 2013 and resigned from his office in just 12 days on 20 July 2013. This company, too, was dissolved on 3 February 2015.

Likewise, the complaint alleged that Speed UK Records Ltd. was another company incorporated on 19 August 2013 and dissolved on 31 March 2015. Here, listed office bearers were Sundip Singh Khakh and Dr Sarpreet Singh Mehat.

The curious case of a shell company owned by a certain Diljit Singh who shares his birthday with actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh

The complaint also raised aspersions on the involvement of actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh in enabling the laundering and routing of money to support the ongoing farmers’ agitation in the country. It alleged that another company named Famous Std. Ltd. was incorporated on 9th August 2016 and dissolved on 16th January 2018 with Directors Sundip Singh Khakh and one Mr Daljit Singh.

Interestingly, Mr Daljit Singh was born in January 1984, the same month and year when actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh was born. However, the complaint adds that it is unclear whether both the persons are one and the same.

Additionally, the complaint states that Diljit Dosanjh receives an honorarium for music events conducted through his Saanjh Foundation, which does not have an FCRA Registration to operate in India.

It is also pertinent to note that Diljit Dosanjh has been a vocal supporter of the ongoing farmers’ protests and has also donated Rs 1 crore to the farmers’ cause. It is also submitted that the IT sleuths had had already raided the houses of popular Punjabi singers Diljit Dosanjh, Miss Pooja and Gippy Grewal and the premises of two Punjabi film-producing firms in the year 2012 and they are alleged to have been associated with Dharam Seva, Speed Records and other dubious companies in the UK.

Sukhbir Singh Badal’s alleged connection with Diljit Dosanjh’s NGO Saanjh Foundation

Furthermore, the complaint says that concerning the registered office address of Saanjh Foundation, a defamation case has been filed against former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal wherein the counsel of the complainant had contended in the court that Sukhbir Singh Badal had allegedly contended his address as house number 256, Sector 9, Chandigarh. Intriguingly, this address is also the registered office address of Saanjh Foundation.

Amid allegations that new farm laws will end MSP regime, govt’s paddy procurement at MSP surges 23 per cent

OpIndia Staff
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Amid allegations that new farm laws will end MSP regime, govt’s paddy procurement at MSP surges 23 per cent

While misled farmers, driven by the lies peddled by various opposition parties and the anti-Modi brigade, continue to protest, assuming that Modi government will ‘abolish MSP’ through its new farm laws, the central government’s ongoing paddy procurement has surged past the last year’s total procurement by more than 23 per cent.

According to official data, the Food Ministry has purchased a record high of 487.92 lakh tonnes of Kharif (monsoon) paddy till December 31 as against 390.56 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous year.

The food ministry’s official projections show the government’s total procurement for summer paddy (2020-21) will likely touch 74.2 million tonnes, which is a remarkable increase of 18 per cent since last year as the total quantity procured during 2019-20 was 62.7 million tonnes.

Moreover, nearly six million farmers across the nation have already been paid minimum support prices to the tune of Rs 9,000 crore for these purchases. “About 62.28 lakh farmers have already been benefitted from the ongoing KMS procurement operations with MSP value of Rs 92,120.85 crore,” an official statement said.

Interestingly, while mostly Punjab farmers are seen protesting against the new agricultural reforms introduced by the Modi government, the official data reveals that out of the total purchase of 487.92 lakh tonnes, Punjab has contributed 202.77 lakh tonnes, which is 41.55 per cent of the total procurement.

Other than this, until December 31, 2020, a quantity of 75,03,914 cotton bales valued at Rs 21,989.94 crore have been procured, benefitting 14,69,704 farmers. Moreover, the government agencies had also procured 251633.79 MT of Moong, Urad, Groundnut Pods and Soyabean with MSP value of Rs 1346.76 crores, benefitting 1,35,813 farmers in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Congress instigating farmers by peddling blatant lie that Minimum Support Price will be abolished

It almost becomes imperative to note here that opposition parties, especially the Congress has been consistently misleading the farmers in Punjab by sharing some blatant and outright lies against the new farmer laws. Amongst other things, the Congress has been instigating the farmers that the central government, through its news farm laws, would abolish the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Which is an outright lie as seen by recent procurement of Kharif crops as per MSP.

The farmers have been, in turn, agitating at the outskirts of the national capital against Modi government’s farm laws assuming that the new laws mean that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) would be abolished.

Mandis will remain, MSP will be unaffected: Modi government

The central government has clarified a number of times that they are neither abolishing APMC Mandis not repealing MSPs. Both the claims are lies. In fact, the Congress, in its own 2019 election manifesto, had promised to abolish the APMC Act altogether. However, the Modi government has only amended the APMC Act.

Modi government has not repealed the APMC Act in its entirety. The new laws passed by the current government provides the farmers with an additional avenue to sell their produce besides the Mandis. The provisions in the bills exempt transactions done outside the physical premises of APMC (agricultural produce market committee) Mandis from any “market fee or cess or levy” imposed by state governments, enabling the farmers to get full price for their produce.

PM Modi, government ministers and BJP leaders have asserted again and again that MSPs will continue. Rahul Gandhi and Congress, however, have been peddling the same lies again and again.

Meanwhile, six rounds of talks between the government and nearly 40 farmer unions have so far failed to end the deadlock, even though the govt has agreed to two demands of the farmers, to not penalise farmers for burning stubble under the new air pollution law, and to continue giving electricity subsidy for irrigation.

Waqf Board member and Mahim Dargah trustee booked for rape, accused of raping social worker after administering injection: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Waqf Board member and Mahim Dargah trustee booked for rape, accused of raping social worker after administering injection: Details

Dr Mudassir Nisar Lambe, a trustee at Mumbai’s Mahim Dargah and a member of the Waqf Board, has been accused of raping a woman. Consequently, a case has been registered against him by the Mahim Police. According to some reports, the victim is a Shiv Sena leader while others identify her only as a social worker.

The Navi Mumbai based social worker alleged that the incident occurred in January 2020. However, she waited till October for him to keep his word of marrying her. When he did not, she went forward with the FIR. As per reports, Nisar had administered an injection which had turned her semiconscious. Then, he had proceeded to rape her.

The 33-year old victim alleged that when she threatened to file an FIR, he promised that he would marry her and later threatened her with dire consequences. Nisan has been booked on charges of rape, causing hurt by means of poison and criminal intimidation.

The victim also said that her husband had divorced her when he found out about the incident. A video is also reported to have gone viral where the victim says that she will end her life if denied justice.

‘I will not take BJP’s vaccine’, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav indulges in ‘vaccine politics’ ahead of Coronavirus vaccination launch in the country

OpIndia Staff
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‘I will not take BJP’s vaccine’, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav indulges in ‘vaccine politics’ ahead of Coronavirus vaccination launch in the country

Even as the country is gearing up for providing the coronavirus vaccine to citizens to limit the spread of the Chinese pandemic, opposition parties have already begun to politicise the issue of vaccination drive. On Saturday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav dragged politics in that much-needed vaccination drive in the country saying that he will not get himself vaccinated as of now as it is ‘BJP’s vaccine’.

Saying that he cannot trust ‘BJP’s vaccine’, Akhilesh Yadav tried to create panic in the society by stating that he would get vaccinated when his government will be formed after the next election and claimed that he would give free vaccines to all.

“I am not going to get vaccinated for now. How can I trust BJP’s vaccine, when our government will be formed everyone will get free vaccine. We cannot take BJP’s vaccine,” said Samajwadi Party chief and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.

At at time when the political parties needs to be united and dispel rumours about the misinformation about vaccines ahead of the drive, it is rather shocking that Samajwadi Party chief has indulged in low-level politics by discrediting a vaccine that has been duly developed and tested enough.

The political statements by Akhilesh Yadav may fuel misinformation pertaining to vaccination drive which may lead to a common man staying away from the vaccine at a time when vaccinating against the Coronavirus is considered essential to fight the pandemic.

Coronavirus vaccine to be rolled out soon

The insensitive statement by Akhilesh Yadav comes amidst the centre’s plan to roll out immunisation drive for the coronavirus. Just yesterday, India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had approved the emergence use of Covishield (developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca) vaccine to be used in the country.

The subject expert committee (SEC) of the drug regulator has recommended the emergency-use authorisation (EUA) of the vaccine and stated that two full doses of the vaccine must be administered to an individual with a gap of 4-6 weeks. Moreover, the individual will be provided information about the vaccine in the form of a factsheet, prior to inoculation. SEC also recommended that the manufacturing company will have to submit reports of ‘adverse incidents’ every 15 days.

It is notable that while Akhilesh Yadav claims he will provide for free when he comes to power, union health minister Harsh Vardhan already declared today that the vaccine will be free for all across the country. He also asked the people to not believe in rumours on the vaccine. “I appeal to people not to pay heed to rumours. Ensuring safety & efficacy of vaccine is our priority. Different kinds of rumours were spread during polio immunisation but people took the vaccine & India is now polio-free,” the minister said.

The Modi government is planning to immunise 30 crore people, classified under the priority population, within the month of July. As such, a dry run has been scheduled today in at least three ‘session sites’ in every state capital and districts with poor logistical support.

The objective of the government, behind this exercise, is to assess the on-field situation of the vaccination process. At the same time, a total of 96000 vaccinators have been trained to execute the inoculation programme. The government has directed all states to be ready with the list of health workers, who would be vaccinated first.

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