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Study suggests India will be largest buyer of COVID-19 vaccine with 1.6 billion doses for 60% of India’s population: How experts believe it might be enough

OpIndia Staff
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Study suggests India will be largest buyer of COVID-19 vaccine with 1.6 billion doses for 60% of India’s population: How experts believe it might be enough

According to a global analysis, India has become the largest buyer of COVID-19 vaccine in the world after procuring 1.6 billion doses, according to a study. Scientists believe that these vaccine doses are enough to cover 800 million people, that is almost 60 per cent of India’s population. This would be sufficient to develop ‘herd immunity’, a number some scientists believe.

The ‘Launch and Scale Speedometer’ analysis, which is updated every two weeks, shows India has confirmed 1.6 billion doses of three vaccines as of November 30, which means that India has bought more doses than countries such as the US and Britain, and more than the European Union as a whole, all of which have in-country vaccine development capacity.

All these COVID-19 vaccine ‘pre-booked’ by India are manufactured by Indian companies

According to the US-based Duke University Global Health Innovation Center, India has bought 500 million doses of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine candidate, 1 billion from the US company Novavax and 100 million doses of the Sputnik V candidate from Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute.

Noted virologist Shahid Jameel was quoted as saying that all these vaccines pre-purchased by India are being manufactured by Indian companies – Oxford-AstraZeneca and Novavax by Serum Institute of India (SII) in Pune and Sputnik V by Dr Reddy’s Lab in Hyderabad.

Moreover, Bharat Biotech and Zydus-Cadila would also add about 400 million doses annually. In brief, the numbers appear reasonable over 2021 and 2022, said Jameel confirming that India can expect the first 250 million to be vaccinated in 2021.

He noted that 1.6 billion doses would cover 800 million people or 60 per cent of India’s population. This, the virologist said, should be enough to develop herd immunity, a form of indirect protection from infectious disease that occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population has become immune to infection.

India tops the global chart of pre-booked Covid-19 vaccine doses

Meanwhile, the report by global analysis submitted that India is the top coronavirus vaccine buyer, followed by the European Union which has confirmed 1.58 billion doses and the US, which is the worst-hit country, has managed to purchase just 1.01 billion doses.

Image Sourec: The Straits Times

The report by the Duke University Global Health Innovation Center said that while countries like the US and EU negotiated purchases by investing public funds into vaccine research and development and by using their purchasing power to strike early deals, India smartly moved to the top of the chart by leveraging its large manufacturing infrastructure.

“Countries with manufacturing capacity, such as India and Brazil, have been successful in negotiating large advance market commitments with leading vaccine candidates as part of the manufacturing agreements,” the Duke researchers noted in their analysis.

It is important to mention the figures mentioned here are estimates made by Duke university, and not official figures from govt of India. While India is buying the Oxford virus made in India by Serum Institute, and other vaccines being developed by Indian companies, no purchase agreement has been signed with any foreign company so far.

First round of vaccine estimated to be made available in India by July-August 2021

In November, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said 400-500 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines were estimated to be made available for 250 to 300 million (25 crores to 30 crores) people in India by July-August 2021.

The first 500 million doses are likely to go to 250 million people in the group that includes frontline workers, healthcare workers, sanitation, emergency services, and security services. This group also includes the elderly above 65 and patients with comorbidities.

India is the largest manufacturer of vaccines in the world, manufacturing more than 60 per cent of the vaccines sold across the globe, even without its involvement in the manufacturing of the expensive Pfizer Inc and Moderna vaccines, India is all set to play a crucial role in vaccinating a major part of the world against a pandemic that has so far affected more than 68 million people and resulted into deaths of over 1.58 million.

Of the three vaccine candidates the South Asian country has booked, Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s biggest vaccine producer, is manufacturing two within India – the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and the Novavax candidate.

Of the 3.73 billion doses of the Oxford and Novavax vaccines purchased by all countries, about three billion will be made by SII. Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine is also being manufactured by Dr Reddy’s Lab in Hyderabad.

The Indian pharmaceutical companies are gearing up to prepare eight, more economical vaccines, including the AstraZeneca’s Covishield, which is being called “vaccine for the world” because of the efforts to make it cheap and easily available for poorer nations.

Foreign envoys impressed by India’s preparations for vaccine production

About 64 foreign envoys recently visited India’s COVID-19 facilities in Hyderabad, a trip organised by the Ministry of External Affairs(MEA), in a bid to showcase Indian companies’ prowess in building the vaccine to fight COVID-19. The envoys were briefed about Covid-19 vaccine programmes and how India has taken the lead in fighting the pandemic. India’s leadership and preparedness in vaccine development, backed by the statesmanship of PM Modi, who announced that the vaccines would be available for all of humanity, left the envoys from all over the world extremely impressed.

While Denmark’s envoy to India, Ambassador Svane Freddy, told media that he was proud to be a part of India’s journey in taking the lead on the COVID front, Australia’s ambassador to India, Barry O’Farrell, also had glowing words of praise for India’s vaccine manufacturing capabilities. 

Kerala Church feud: HC pulls up govt for failing to comply with its last order, directs CRPF to take over church if order not implemented by Jan 8

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala Church feud: HC pulls up govt for failing to comply with its last order, directs CRPF to take over church if order not implemented by Jan 8

Kerala High Court has pulled up the state government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, for failing to comply with its last year’s order to take over and grant ownership of the church in Kothamangalam in Ernakulam, Kerala to the Orthodox faction. Issuing interim orders in the matter, the High Court directed that CRPF would take control over the church, should the State fail to comply with its earlier directions in the matter by January 8, 2021.

The court directed the Assistant Solicitor General of India to communicate the court’s order to the DIGP, CRPF Pallipuram for compliance.

Justice PB Suresh Kumar issued the directive on a contempt of court petition filed by the Vicar of the Orthodox faction against the Ernakulam District Collector for not complying with the directives.

State cannot decide whether or not to implement the orders of the court: Kerala HC slams Pinarayi Govt

Justice PB Suresh Kumar, without mincing words, slammed Pinarayi Vijayan Govt for its failure to act on the Court’s 2019 judgment. He observed: “…a large number of litigants approach this Court for relief and a single instance of insolent defiance of an order of the Court is sufficient to shake the confidence reposed by the public in the judicial institutions…”

He tore into the state government, saying that the State cannot be given the discretion to decide whether or not to implement the orders of the court or even, choose the time within which the orders are implemented. Such discretion would go against the supremacy of the rule of law, the judge added.

Feud between Orthodox and Jacobite factions over ownership of church in Kerala

The Church in Kothamangalam in Ernakulam, Kerala, a constituent of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church, is currently the epicentre of a bitter feud between two Christian factions- the Jacobite and Orthodox factions of Kerala’s Malankara Church. The century-old dispute between the two Christian factions is over the right to own church property and conduct prayers in churches.

On September 26 last year, the Kerala High Court had directed the police to arrest the supporters of the Jacobite faction who had blocked the police the previous day from implementing the controversial Supreme Court 2017 verdict regarding the Church’s management. The supporters belonging to the Jacobite faction, under the leadership of a few Metropolitan priests, had locked the gates and assembled inside the St Mary’s Church in Ernakulam district’s Piravom in Kerala, barring supporters of the Orthodox faction to formally take over the administration of the church as instructed by the Supreme court in its 2017 verdict.

In a landmark judgement delivered on July 3, 2017, the Supreme Court had ruled on a centuries-old dispute between Jacobite and Orthodox factions of Kerala’s Malankara Church. The SC had ruled that 1100 parishes and their churches under the Malankara Church, which were until then controlled by the Jacobite faction should be controlled by the Orthodox faction, as per the 1934 Malankara Church guidelines.

Newslaundry creates controversy where there is none because India Today showed farmers benefitting from farm laws: Read Details

K Bhattacharjee
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Newslaundry creates controversy where there is none because India Today showed farmers benefitting from farm laws: Read Details

Propagandists at Leftist website Newslaundry published a sensationalist report on the 10th of December, Thursday, to accuse the government of ‘planting stories’ demonstrating that the new farm laws had support from farmers. The insinuation made by Newslaundry was that the farm laws did not really have support on the ground and the government was engaging in “media management” to save its face.

The gist of the story is that India Today published reports where farmers could be seen offering positive reviews for the newly passed farm laws. Newslaundry does not claim that the stories were false, they did not provide evidence to suggest that the claims being made by India Today is inauthentic or inaccurate in the least. Their grouse is that the information was provided to them by the office of Prakash Javadekar, in-charge of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The Newslaundry report

As per the report, S Satyanarayanan, media advisor to Javadekar, communicated the information to journalists through WhatsApp. Despite the comments being made based on the report, there isn’t any hint anywhere that the claims made in the India Today report is disputed. The only point of dispute is that India Today appears to have said that it was ‘ground report’ when the information was not sourced from the ground.

But then again, it is a matter that India Today can very well contend. Some of these farmers were featured in videos that were shared by India Today. Thus, if video bytes were shared by the news network, then it does appear that they indeed met the farmers themselves, which would constitute a ground report. “India Today did not “find” these farmers on the ground, as it claimed. They were handed to the channel by the Narendra Modi government,” claims Newslaundry but we could not find India Today claiming that they had “found” these farmers on their own.

On the face of it, it appears as if the leftist propaganda website is creating strawman arguments and then refuting them in order to cast aspersions on the government. But they haven’t produced any evidence to suggest that the farmers are lying or that the farmers are not really farmers at all.

At the end of the day, it was a very mundane incident which Newslaundry blew out of proportion to further its own agenda. What really appears to have happened here is that the office of Prakash Javdekar provided information to journalists that the farm laws were not really opposed by farmers. India Today then chose to verify the information on their own and then they published their findings in a report.

It could have been scandalous if India Today chose to publish the information without verifying its authenticity and the information later turned out to be false. That was not the case here. The main grouse appears to be that the information is true and the source of it.

Newslunadry is not asking the correct questions here. The main question ought to be is that there are clearly farmers who are happy with the newly passed reforms. And it is not surprising given that nearly all major political parties, activists and farmer unions have demanded precisely these reforms at some point or the other. But now that the reforms have been implemented, there suddenly appears to be great anger all of a sudden.

Quite clearly, Newslaundry is angry that a news network chose to highlight the silent support that these reforms have. It cannot really be disputed that the farmer protests is primarily a protest by farmers from Punjab. Not a single other region of the country has seen farmers taking to the streets to protest these laws. Therefore, quite obviously, there are plenty of farmers around who are supportive of these reforms.

Moreover, there are only 1.09 million farming households in Punjab compared to 146 million in the country. That is less than 1 per cent of the total farming households that are in Punjab. And even among them, it’s only a small fraction that has taken to the streets. Is it Newslaundry’s claim that farmers country-wide are in opposition to these laws? If that is indeed the case, then the burden of proof lies with them, not India Today or the government.

Furthermore, only a fool or a malicious clown would claim that India Today is ‘Godi Media’. It has luminaries such as Rajdeep Sardesai and Rahul Kanwal who spew nonsense against the ruling dispensation 24/7. Judging from the conduct of the leftist portal, it seems to be the latter.

Also, the government is perfectly within its right to promote its achievements and demonstrate that its reforms have support on the ground. And there is nothing that suggests that information should be immediately junked simply because it is coming from government sources. Far-Left portals regularly publish dubious claims by unverified sources in order to peddle their flawed narrative against the government; that too, without verifying the claims for themselves.

Newslaundry itself has reached out to regurgitated claims by dubious sources to peddle its agenda. For instance, they reached out to a Pakistani ‘intellectual’ in order to secure material for their agenda against Arnab Goswami and Republic TV. The questions were extremely leading and were tailor-made for a ‘gotcha’ moment and it was clear that they were asked to confirm their own biases rather than reporting objectively on a situation.

On another occasion, Newslaundry published an article where an entire fictitious personality was created in order to peddle its agenda against the NDA Government. Patricia Mukhim, the Editor of The Shillong Times, called them out and said, “It reads like the writers own views being peddled as views of North Easterners..real trashy stuff”.

The propagandist portal has also provided platform to people with extremely problematic opinions for its political agenda. Radical Islamist Sharjeel Usmani, one of their esteemed columnists, was granted bail in September after being accused of inciting riots during the anti-CAA ‘protests’. On yet another occasion, they tried to pressurize a Zee News journalist infected by the Coronavirus to commit to a hitjob against the channel’s Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhry.

Thus, quite clearly, Newslaundry is open to publishing absolute propaganda and inventing controversies to target the Union Government. And here we have a news network that appears to have verified the information on its own before publishing a report but Newslaundry has a problem with that. It is the sort of clownery that we have come to expect from far left news portals and it isn’t something that ought to surprise us one bit.

Saudi Arabia deported a large number of Indians back to India for protesting against CAA and NRC: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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Saudi Arabia deported a large number of Indians back to India for protesting against CAA and NRC: Reports

Saudi Arabia has deported a large number of NRIs living in the country for mobilising protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) enacted by the government of India and the National Register of Citizens recently updated in Assam, reported Middle East Monitor.

As per reports, several Indians, inspired by Islamist Shaheen Bagh protests, tried to pull off a demonstration against the Modi government for the enactment of CAA and the proposal to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) across India. They had held placards to demand the repealing of the humanitarian act. However, the ‘protestors’ were arrested and deported back to India as the Gulf State prohibits assembly or public demonstration of any form.

“Gulf countries have zero tolerance towards any kind of protest, demonstration, or gatherings. But the protesters, some of whom were young, are said to have been unaware of this basic rule. Many also got into trouble for posting support on social media,” the report stated. In October last year, both India and Saudi Arabia agreed on a new Strategic Partnership Council partnership and enhanced cooperation on security issues, during the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to New Delhi.

CAA, NRC and the aftermath

While CAA was implemented to fast-track the citizenship of persecuted minorities from Islamic countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan residing in India before December 31, 2014, updating the NRC is proposed to identify the immigrants who have come to India illegally for economic opportunities.

Although CAA and NRC did not threaten the existing citizenship status of any Indian Muslim, the country witnessed politically-motivated social media campaigns, sit-in Islamist protests at Shaheen Bagh, deadly anti-Hindu riots in Delhi perpetrated by Muslim mobs, and anti-national sloganeering.

Assurance of Home Minister Amit Shah

Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah clarified that the decision to implement a National Register of Citizens will be done after consulting all the stakeholders. Speaking to Aaj Tak, Home Minister said that there were no plans to bring NRC currently, but it will be done in future, he added.

However, the Home Minister said that when NRC is brought in the country, every stakeholder will be consulted to ascertain their views.“NRC has not come in yet, when it comes, there is no talk of bringing it, even if it comes all stakeholders will be consulted,” Home Minister Amit Shah said as he responded to certain concerns regarding the documents that may be required to prove citizenship if NRC is implemented.

While Congress party opposes new parliament building, its Lok Sabha speaker had approved the project in 2012. Read details

OpIndia Staff
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While Congress party opposes new parliament building, its Lok Sabha speaker had approved the project in 2012. Read details

In a major embarrassment to the Congress party that has been attacking PM Modi for laying the foundation stone for the new Parliament building, a document has surfaced showing that the Congress leader and former Lok-Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar had given approval for the building in 2012. Times Now has accessed a letter of an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the ex-Lok Sabha Speaker sent to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The letter stated that the Speaker has given approval for the construction of new Parliament building and that she said that the issue should be given top priority.

The letter was sent by the OSD to the then secretary of the urban development ministry on July 13, 2012 when Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre. The letter read, “The Parliament building was constructed in the 1920s and commissioned in 1927 has been declared Heritage Grade-I building. Over the decades on account of ageing and over-use the Parliament House building started showing the signs of distress at various places. The present sitting capacity of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha is likely to go up after 2026”.

Copy of the letter written by Meira Kumar approving a new Parliament building

The letter further stated that if Women’s Reservation Bill was passed the strength of the Lok Sabha might go up even before 2026. “The seat is Lok Sabha may go up before 2026 also if Women’s Reservation Bill providing for augmented strength is passed by the Parliament. In such a scenario it will be necessary to have a new Lok Sabha chamber with larger sitting capacity”, the letter read.

The letter asked the urban development ministry to give suitable instructions to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) to identify an area in the proximity to the Parliament House Complex and to find a suitable location for constructing a state of the art new Parliament building.

Congress had boycotted the stone-laying ceremony of the new Parliament building

Congress party had boycotted the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the new Parliament building on December 10. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had performed the Bhumi Pujan of the new Parliament building but no Congress leader participated in the event. In order to strike a chord with the protesting ‘farmers’, the Congress party had criticised the Prime Minister for laying the foundation stone at a time when the ‘farmers’ were protesting against the farm laws. Taking a dig at the Prime Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala, the Chief Spokesperson of the Congress party, said that history would remember that when farmers were fighting for their rights by protesting on streets, Prime Minister Modi was busy laying the foundation stone of the new Parliament.

“Dear PM, Parliament is not mortar and stones, It envisions democracy, It imbibes Constitution, It is economic-political-social equality, It is compassion and camaraderie, It is the aspirations of 130 crore Indians. What would a building built upon trampling of these values represent?”, Surjewala had tweeted.

The Bhumi Pujan ceremony of the new Parliament building had irked the ‘secular’ forces in the country. Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra had expressed displeasure on the Bhumi Pujan saying that the Prime Minister of a country should lay the foundation stone and not perform Bhumi Pujan, in a ‘secular’ multi-faith democracy.

Union Govt recalls 3 IPS officers on central deputation to West Bengal after attack on BJP president’s convoy by TMC workers

OpIndia Staff
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Union Govt recalls 3 IPS officers on central deputation to West Bengal after attack on BJP president’s convoy by TMC workers

The Union Government has recalled three IPS officers from West Bengal following the attack on BJP President J.P. Nadda in the state. The three IPS officers were on central deputation. The BJP President’s convoy was attacked on Thursday and several BJP leaders including Kailash Vijayvargiya was injured in the process.

West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay and DGP Virendra were summoned by the Ministry of Home Affairs as well following the attack demanding an explanation for the law and order situation in the state. The summons by the Central Government came after Governor Jagdeep Dhankar submitted a report on the attack on Nadda’s convoy by alleged Trinamool Congress workers.

BJP chief JP Nadda and party’s national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya’s convoy was attacked in West Bengal, as the two leaders were en route Diamond Harbour on Thursday. As the senior leaders were headed towards Diamond Harbour to meet party cadres, protesters gathered on the streets and attempted to block the road to stop Nadda’s convoy from passing. Protesters also pelted stones at the vehicle.

Videos have surfaced where protestors carrying Trinamool Congress flags are seen throwing stones and bricks at Kailash Vijayvargiya’s car, while the state police stand like mute spectators. Governor Dhankar said that he had summoned Chief Secretary and the West Bengal DGP to update him regarding the attack on the convoy of BJP President JP Nadda but Dhankar said that as usual, the Mamata Banerjee’s official and the WB police remained non-responsive on the matter.

Woman files case against Palghar Shiv Sena MP, says he has been demanding sexual favours since 2004: Here are the details

OpIndia Staff
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Woman files case against Palghar Shiv Sena MP, says he has been demanding sexual favours since 2004: Here are the details

A 38-year-old woman from Palghar district on Friday filed a case of sexual harassment against local Shiv Sena MP Rajendra Gavit. The complainant, who worked at a gas agency in Mira Road, alleged that the MP, who owned the gas agency, harassed her sexually.

The complaint filed against the Shiv Sena legislator came a day after the Maharashtra state cabinet, headed by Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray, approved draft bills for strengthening laws on prevention of atrocities against women and children. The woman had approached the Naya Nagar police station on Friday to file her complaint. The police have filed an FIR under sections 354 (A) (sexual harassment) and 506 (criminal intimidation) in the case and launched a probe in the matter.

Complainant accuses Rajendra Gavit of demanding sexual favours since 2004

The woman, in her complaint, has alleged that a year after she took up a job as a customer care staffer at his agency in 2004, he started demanding sexual favours. The single mother also alleged that Gavit had visited her rented home and even lured her into a sexual relationship by offering her a flat and money. When she turned down her sexual advances, he started harassing her physically and mentally, the complaint alleged.

The woman had already filed two non-cognizable offences on October 13 and December 10, 2015 with the police against the Shiv Sena leader. She had alleged that Gavit had publicly groped her in front of other staff. The complainant lamented that she had held on to the job despite repeated molestation by the Shiv Sena leader because she was in desperate need of money to finance her son’s education.

The woman said that after her husband abandoned her and their son in 2003, she has been working with Gavit’s gas agency. The complainant stated that Gavit was aware of her situation and had tried to lure her into a sexual relationship. She has also alleged workplace harassment, stating that she was refused weekly holidays and made to work for long hours. Gavit would also call her to his cabin and threaten her, she said.

Shiv Sena leader refutes charges of sexual harassment

However, Rajendra Gavit has rubbished the allegations levelled against him and accused the woman of exacting revenge after being sacked for swindling agency’s money. In an interview with TOI, Gavit claimed that the allegations were made by the woman after she and her three associates were caught black-marketing LPG cylinders worth more than Rs 1 crore. Gavit said that the woman was fired and a case under the Essential Commodities Act and IPC section 408 (criminal breach of trust by clerk or servant) on November 26. 

Grooming Jihad: One Azad booked for sexually exploiting and forcing a minor girl to convert to Islam for marriage

OpIndia Staff
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Grooming Jihad: One Azad booked for sexually exploiting and forcing a minor girl to convert to Islam for marriage

In yet another case of Grooming Jihad (Love Jihad), a minor girl from Hardoi district in Uttar Pradesh has lodged a complaint at Shahbad police station against a Muslim youth named Azad. She has accused Azad of sexually exploiting her and forcing her to convert to Islam on the pretext of marriage.

It is pertinent to note here that Times of India reported that the victim is 21-years-old. Since there are conflicting reports on whether the victim was a minor or not, OpIndia contacted Hardoi police station for details. The police official confirmed to us that the victim is a minor and hence the POCSO Act has been invoked in the case.

Hardoi police books accused for rape, under the unlawful conversion law and for human trafficking

Based on the minor girl’s complaint, Shahdab police have filed an FIR and booked Azad under the newly promulgated law, the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020. Police have also slapped relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) against the accused.

Since the complainant mentioned in the FIR that the two were in a relationship for the last two years and during this period, Azad “raped her repeatedly on the pretext of marriage”, Hardoi police have also booked the accused for rape.

The victim added that Azad had been pressurising her to convert and often threatened her with life if she reported the matter to the police. She also said that she suspected Azad of taking her to Delhi and trafficking her.

Hardoi superintendent of police (SP), Anurag Vats said that based on the victim’s allegations, Azad has been booked for rape, under the unlawful conversion law and also for human trafficking.

The SP also confirmed that the girl alleged in her complaint that Azad told her to convert to Islam just before the wedding on November 30. 

“The FIR was registered against a person identified only as Azad at the Shahabad police station. The complainant stated that she and the accused were in a relationship for the past two years and the man had promised to marry her,” Anurag Vats, Hardoi superintendent of police (SP) was quoted as saying.

UP registers first Grooming Jihad case under new anti-conversion law

After the promulgation of the new anti-conversion law, the Uttar Pradesh police have booked several people for allegedly forcing girls to convert their religion on the pretext of marriage. This Hardoi case is the fifth FIR registered under the new law against Grooming Jihad, under which as many as 28 persons have already been booked from places like Sitapur, Mau, Bareilly and Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, ever since the law has come into force.

On November 29, the Uttar Pradesh police had registered its first-ever case against one Uwais Ahmed for trying to forcibly convert a Hindu girl to Islam. The case was registered against Ahmed after a family in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh had lodged a complaint with the Deorania police. The accused was booked under Section 3/5 of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020.

Provisions of the new law against Grooming Jihad

The new anti-conversion law is aimed at preventing forced conversions under the pretext of love and marriage. Under the new law, a jail term of 1-5 years is awarded to the accused (extended to 3-10 years in case of SC/STs) and a fine of ₹15,000 (₹25,000 in case of SC/STs). Moreover, the offender’s proven guilty for mass conversion will attract a jail term of 10 years.

Protesting ‘farmers’ perform dangerous stunts on tractor, try to mow down police personnel when stopped: Horrific visuals from UP

OpIndia Staff
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Protesting ‘farmers’ perform dangerous stunts on tractor, try to mow down police personnel when stopped: Horrific visuals from UP

In a video that has now gone viral on social media, 6 unidentified accused, riding a tractor, tried to run over police personnel on Tuesday. The incident took place in Titavi area in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of Bharat bandh, which was announced as a ‘mark’ of protest against the newly enacted farm laws.

According to reports, the miscreants were found gambling when they were stopped by the police officials. They were also performing dangerous stunts on their tractors. As seen in the visuals, the cops initially tried to persuade the miscreants to get off the vehicle. When the police officials got hold of two miscreants, the undeterred driver tried to mow down the police personnel his tractor. The cops had a narrow escape as the tractor just whizzed past them at a high speed.

Muzaffarnagar police, responding to the video said that a case has been registered against unknown persons and the investigation is ongoing.

The Muzaffarnagar police have registered a case against the 6 accused under relevant IPC sections. While speaking about the incident, SP Abhishek Yadav stated, “Police are trying to ascertain the identity of the youths. They will be arrested soon and action against them will be taken as per the law.”

The Anti-farm law agitation

The renewed anti-farm law protests began in late November, with demands to repeal the three historic farm laws that are aimed at ending the monopoly of middlemen, APMC markets, and bringing prosperity to the lives of farmers through fair pricing for their produce. While their demands have been rejected, the government has assured that they are open to discussion on the subject. The BJP had accused the Congress and the commission agents of misleading farmers and spreading rumours about ‘abolishment’ of Mandis.

Khalistanis, Naxal sympathisers take centre stage in farmers protest

In a shocking incident on Thursday, the protestors along the Tikri border, who started their protest as a grievance against the farm laws, began demanding the release of terrorist sympathisers and enablers such as Gautam Navlakha, Sudha Bhardwaj, Varvara Rao, Anand Teltumbde, and riot accuses such as Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Khalid Saifi etc.

BKU Ekta Ugrahan, which claims to be a farmers’ organisation and had gathered some of the protestors along the Delhi-Haryana border observed ‘human rights’ day at Tikri border and demanded the release of Urban Naxals arrested in Elgar Parishad case, Islamists arrested in Delhi riots case and others. The protestors also demanded the government to release the accused of Anti-Hindu Delhi riots case.

It is important to note that the Khalistan organisation SFJ, funded by Pakistan, had earlier declared a grant of $1 million for farmers in Punjab and Haryana in lieu of their support for Khalistan. On 23rd September, it was reported that the SFJ had attempted to capitalise on the ongoing protests by farmers and had declared that it would distribute $1 million among farmers who had defaulted on agricultural loans.


Rajasthan: ACB officer caught taking bribe hours after delivering a speech on the ill-effects of corruption

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: ACB officer caught taking bribe hours after delivering a speech on the ill-effects of corruption

In a bizarre incident in Rajasthan, a police official was arrested by the ACB officials for taking bribe just hours after he had delivered a speech on the ill-effects of corruption.

According to the reports, Bhairulal Meena, the DSP of ACB’s Sawai Madhopur unit, was caught by ACB officials red-handedly while allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 80,000 from the District Transport Officer. Meena was arrested by the anti-corruption officials after he had forced another official to pay him a bribe. Reportedly, Meena was taking bribes on a monthly basis from different departments.

The ACB officials had received several complaints against Meena and decided to investigate the matter. After verification, a team from Jaipur on Wednesday decided to trap DSP Meena. The officials continuously watched the ACB officials and set a trap to nab the corrupt officer.

Later in the day, the ACB officials raided DSP Meena, when he was taking a bribe of Rs 80,000 from District Transport Officer (DTO) Mahesh Chandra. The ACB officials have now arrested both the officials on charges of bribery.

Meanwhile, the ACB DG said a search operation is going on at Meena’s residence and other locations.

BL Soni, Directorate-General of ACB Rajasthan, revealed that Meena had been given the responsibilities of the outpost of the agency in Sawai Madhopur.

DSP Meena delivered a talk on effects of corruption before getting arrested

Ironically, just hours before his arrest, DSP Bhairulal Meena had delivered a passionate talk in Sawai Madhopur district about the menace of the corruption and its ill-effects on the society.

DSP Meena had addressed the public about the fight against corruption and had asked people to inform the officials if they found anybody taking bribe.

However, an hour after delivering the speech, the officer was caught red handed by officials for taking a bribe of 80 thousand rupees.  

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